Tension brews in Diepkloof as frustrated residents seek to upgrade prepaid meters ahead of deadline
At least two million South Africans are yet to upgrade their prepaid meters, with Sunday's deadline looming.
Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa was in Soweto on 21 November 2024 to engage with residents on the upgrade to their prepaid meters. Picture: Orrin Singh/EWN
SOWETO - Tensions brewed in Diepkloof as hundreds of irate residents continued to queue outside the Eskom administration office to upgrade their prepaid meters.
At least two million South Africans are yet to upgrade their prepaid meters, with Sunday's deadline looming.
The upgrade falls in line with a technical switch-over, which Eskom claims simply cannot be extended, meaning there is a risk that millions will be left in the dark, unable to load electricity tokens.
READ: Eskom's deadline to update prepaid electricity meters unrealistic, say anxious Soweto residents
However, if they thought the wait was long, they were in for another shocker as many said they were being informed they would be required to pay a monthly amount of R500 for the upgrade and an additional R350 to load electricity.
Electricity Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa tried to quell tensions as he engaged the community on Thursday afternoon.
Ramokgopa is addressing the hundreds of irate residents gathered outside the Eskom Administration Office in Diepkloof regarding their electricity prepaid meter upgrades. pic.twitter.com/PCznmfSXRw
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) November 21, 2024
Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is in Diepkloof, Soweto, where he is speaking to some of the masses who are queueing to upgrade their prepaid meters before Sunday's deadline. He has promised to keep the walk-in customer center open until everyone has been assisted. pic.twitter.com/7nMp7d13gv
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) November 21, 2024