Struggling Lavender Hill residents say life becoming unbearable due to high cost of electricity
The community staged a protest on Thursday against the installation of new electricity meters by the City of Cape Town.
A prepaid electricity meter and an electricity mains unit. Picture: @CityofCT/X
CAPE TOWN - Residents from Lavender Hill said life has become unbearable due to the high cost of electricity.
The community staged a protest on Thursday against the installation of new electricity meters by the City of Cape Town.
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In 2023, the municipality started replacing electricity meters in city-supplied areas, with a deadline to have all meters replaced by the end of November.
According to some residents, there was no clear communication between the city and the residents before the installation of these meters.
Community leader, Paul Phillips, said the new meters had become more expensive and depleted units quickly.
“Everything is just forced on the people with a threat, ‘if you don’t, we will retaliate. If you don’t install or allow the contractors to upgrade your current electricity system or the meter box, we will cut off electricity.’ That is not communication. That is not relationship.”
However, the city said there was no difference in the way the new meters operated compared to the previous ones.