Electricity Disconnection

Eish at about 1 o’ clock the power went off. I went outside to find 2 sub-contractors from City Power disconnecting my electricity due to my account with the City of Joburg in arrears.

What the Heck! Lynda is sick in bed with the flu and now this!

Now we have a dispute due to our water being so high which has being ongoing for quite a long time now but why cut my electricity? Why?

Customer Electricity Disconnection Card Level 2 was stuck on my gate. It stated that "the service to this premise has been disconnected as the account is in areas or no agreement has been signed with the City of Joburg. Please be advised to pay the account and produce receipt and Identity Document to any Customer Service Centres, or fax proof of payment and Disconnection Card to 011-358-3164 or 011-358-3110. As a result of this termination advice, and in terms of the credit Control by-law, you may be subjected to the new deposit criteria and costs of reconnection fees." Again what the heck, they can’t shut my electricity off as I have my account red flagged and under investigation. I have been told that we need to pay the regular amount every month which we have been doing religiously and never missed a payment, now this.

In a panic, I try to get hold of Suzanne, my councillor for our area who has heard my case and has put it forward to the powers that be to get it sorted out. But she must be busy because I could not get hold of her, so I rush over to the Civic Centre and while waiting in the queue, Suzanne contacted me back and requested that I send a copy of the Disconnection Notice to her and she will get it sorted. It wasn’t long when Suzanne's right hand woman, Busi, was on the phone with me, apologising and saying that my electricity should not have been cut and she sent an email for it to be reconnected today.

By six o’ clock I had to calm myself down and resolve that I have to spend the night in darkness and hopefully sometime in the morning the electricity service to my home would be turned back on. Nou gaan ons braai! I put 2 rib eye steaks on the braai, while Lynda cooked with gas in the kitchen. It wasn’t long and we sat down to an awesome romantic dinner by candle light.

It wasn’t long after dinner that the lights came back on. I rushed back outside and found the same 2 sub-contractors reconnecting me. It is just after 7pm and thank you for coming through this evening and rectifying the error disconnection. An hour and a half later Suzanne contacted me to find out if I had being sorted out. Wow now that is dedication. Thank you all for fixing the mistake speedily and if I could I would invite you all over for the braai but sadly I only put 2 steaks on the grill.