Eskom reduces backlog of prepaid electricity meter upgrades by at least 400,000

JOHANNESBURG - Eskom has managed to reduce the backlog of electricity prepaid meter upgrades by at least 400,000 in 24 hours. 

As of Wednesday, two million prepaid electricity customers still needed to be upgraded, with that number falling just below the 1.7 million mark on Thursday afternoon. 

On Sunday, every prepaid electricity meter across the country will cease from operating due to a global technical switchover that needs to be done.

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Residents in Soweto are among the majority of those who need to still have their meters upgraded.

Tensions flared in Diepkloof, Soweto, on Thursday afternoon, as residents needing to upgrade their electricity prepaid meters before Sunday once again formed snaking queues outside several eskom customer care centres.

Thabo Thabane said he only heard about the deadline for the upgrade last week despite Eskom's more than one-year campaign drive to inform citizens.

"Three days, no help. We keep on getting there, they tell you 'We are cutting off, come tomorrow'. Tomorrow you come back and you start at the back there again."

Addressing the crowd of angry residents, Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa promised to fast-track the process, saying Eskom employees would work into the weekend to sort it out.

"Extended hours, increased capacity, getting more people to help with people in the queues, so I’m confident about the ability to address the situation."

Ramokgopa said that Soweto was the nucleus for upgrades that still needed to be done, as a large number of residents were illegally connected to the grid.