As if load shedding was not enough, an elderly couple from Botrivier has been without electricity since 13 October.
Hermanus Times received a letter from a concerned offspring stating she had exhausted all her resources to get her parents’ electricity reconnected. “My parents live in Botrivier and have been without electricity since 13 October,” Memory Heunis said. “An Eskom technician disconnected their supply, and when my mother asked he was very cocky, saying he was only doing what he was told, and she should contact the call centre.”
She said they phoned immediately and thought maybe her parents’ bill was in arrears. “Since they never get electricity statements, my mom makes payments as she thinks the amount might be. But this was not the case; in fact, my parents have credit of R2 800.”
The call-centre agent reportedly confirmed this was a mistake on Eskom’s side, and she would immediately log a query to have the power supply reconnected. No-one came back to them and they made numerous follow-up calls.
“The following Thursday morning we went to the Eskom offices in Caledon, and were advised they could not assist as it needed to be done online or a call needed to be made. This we immediately did, and the agent again advised they would log a request for a technician to reconnect the electricity. On Friday 14 October my parents still had no electricity, and by now all their frozen foods and other food had to be disposed of.”
According to Heunis, when calling the agent again she and her parents were advised that the reason the electricity was disconnected was that the current owners were still using electricity for the past two years under the previous property owners’ details.
She said: “This is another falsehood, pointless information and an utter waste of time and money by Eskom, because my parents have been living on that property for more than 30 years.”
After arguments, emails and appeals for help from the ward councillor, Heunis’ parents were still left in the dark, without hot water and with rotten food.
On 28 October, for the first time, Eskom came back to them, advising that her parents bill is over R24 000. “They apparently closed the account in 2018 when my parents were in arrears,” said Heunis. “My parents paid the outstanding amount of R9 500 and the electricity was reconnected again.”
According to Eskom, it received payment but never instructed anyone to reconnect the power supply, because the deposit to reconnect was not paid. This is something her parents were not aware of. Eskom claimed that during the time the power supply was disconnected the meter apparently kept on going and a huge number of electricity was used. “It re-billed my parents’ account, and is now expecting them to pay the R24 000, which they never used, because they were under the impression the power supply was disconnected the whole time.
“I call them every day for an update or feedback, but every day they have a different story. Last week we were advised that we first need to pay a deposit and re-connection fee before they can reconnect the power supply. This we paid on Tuesday and submitted all the required documents, and still no power. I’ve been calling since the payment was made and nobody has come back to me or responded to my emails or messages I have left.”
Although the power utility does not agree her parents should have been billed with such a substantial amount it is willing to commit to payment arrangements.
After numerous emails and phone calls Eskom didn’t respond to this matter. . Heunis informed Hermanus Times that after an email was sent to the Western Cape General Manager and escalation department on 11 November, power was reconnected at 12:15 that day.
