City Power is sick and tired of non-paying businesses and residents in Naturena, Midrand and the city centre. The power utility started with their two day operations and successfully managed to cut off defaulting and non-paying customers in Naturena in Johannesburg yesterday, despite some resistance from a section of the community.

In Naturena alone, City Power has lost around R30 million from customers who bypassed their smart pre-paid meters. Residents and businesses in the area also owe City Power a combined R309 million. Spokesperson Isaac Mangena said that they have about 3000 prepaid customers in Naturena and only half are paying their electricity. "During the cut-off operation which was backed by the police and metro police, we also removed some of the electricity infrastructure to avoid having recurring cases of illegal connections," he said. He said in Naturena alone, the power utility loses R30 million a year because of illegal connections. Mangena said in one street, they were forced to switch off the whole block due to its historical low levels of vending and one of the homeowners, who owes City Power R267 000, refused technicians to enter their property.

In Midrand, City Power targeted businesses, residents and estates that owe the city more than R340 million. At the leopard Rock estate, City power disconnected an apartment block owing R5.1 million in an unpaid electricity bill. Other businesses, which were disconnected in Midrand include New Model Private College which owes R1.2 million; Zwa Tadulu Capital which owed R721 000 and Vaal Value Warehouse, which owed R1.2 milllion. The Midrand Service Delivery Centre general manager Katlego Mogale-Makoni said they were looking at recouping R13 million from today's operation. "We just switched off the customer at Matuka Close as they owe us R1.5 million. Today's operation of cutting off non-payers in Midrand was part of a bigger problem in the area. Our total debt book is sitting at R340 million, and that R340 million is only for businesses and large power users," Mogale-Makoni said. All the businesses and residents who were disconnected are expected to make payment arrangements with City Power before the lights are reconnected.