Electricity meter fraud: We're upgrading software to identify 'non-vending' meters, says SALGA

The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) has acknowledged there is a problem with so-called 'non-vending' prepaid electricity meters across the country.

The term refers to those meters where electricity is not actually being purchased, but being received for free.

A News24 article says new data suggests roughly 40% of the prepaid electricity meters controlled by Eskom, the City of Johannesburg and eThekwini are 'non-vending'.

RELATED: Residents' distrust slowing down process of upgrading prepaid electricity meters - SALGA

Stephen Grootes talks to Silas Mulaudzi, sustainable energy expert at the South African Local Government Association (SALGA).

Mulaudzi says they're busy implementing a programme to upgrade the software in these meters in different municipalities country-wide.

Eskom, as a distributor, is doing the same, he adds.

"This process of upgrading software in prepaid meters will enable us to identify those that are called non-vending..."

Silas Mulaudzi, Sustainable Energy Expert - SALGA 

Having a non-vending electricity meter doesn't necessarily mean that the household is stealing electricity through bypassing their meter or buying credits from non-authorised vendors.

However, Mulaudzi says bypassing is a common explanation for a meter which is not being used to actually buy power.

"When meters are bypassed is when the cables are removed from the box, letting electricity go straight to the household without going through the meter."

"Joburg is one municipality where they identified a number of meters that are non-vending, these are being replacing with new meters with which customers will have to purchase their electricity."

Silas Mulaudzi, Sustainable Energy Expert - SALGA 

Scroll up to listen to the full conversation (sections of the audio are patchy)