Smart Metering
How do I know what my balance is if I don`t receive a notification?
You can do a balance enquiry with your phone by dialling *120*47678# and choosing balance enquiry.
How do I top-up my wallet?
You can do an EFT payment or cash deposit into one of the bank accounts provided, or you can use your cellphone to make a payment which will be deducted from your bank account automatically.
How many units do I receive when a payment is made?
You pay according to the sliding scale of the City of Tshwane. It will therefore depend on how much electricity you use during a month.
How does my electricity billing work?
You get billed for your usage from 12:00 till 24:00 the previous day on the next day.
When will my EFT or cash deposit payment be allocated?
These payments are allocated when reflecting in our bank accounts at the following times:
7:30
10:00
12:00
14:00
16:00
How does the water billing work?
Water readings are taken once a month and will be billed on a certain date to your utility wallet. You will receive a notification seven days before the billing date.
When do I receive my deposit back?
Within 30 days after vacating your unit (notice must be given 10 days in advance).
Why don`t I have a display unit in my flat?
This is because you can use your cellphone anytime anywhere to check your balance and do a top-up.
If there is an electrical problem inside the unit, who do I call?
You need to contact your rental agency or owner.
Prepaid Electricity
How do I register my prepaid electricity meter?
The prepaid application form must be completed and submitted.
NB: Please ensure that your keypad is plugged in and switched on at all times.
How does a prepaid electricity meter work?
The monthly electricity consumption is calculated based on kWh – kilowatt hour. One kilowatt (or 1 unit) is equal to 1 000 watts. A standard globe used in a house is equal to 100 watts an hour. If that globe is to burn for one hour, it will consume 0,1 kWh (or units) of power (100 watts/1 000). If that same globe were to burn for 24 hours, it would therefore use 2,4 kWh or 2,4 units of electricity.
In South Africa, most prepaid electricity meters use the STS technology (Standard Transfer Specification). This means that most prepaid meters accept the same code (a 20-digit encrypted code), which prevents fraudulent vouchers from being generated. This code is then translated into a token by the software inside your prepaid electricity meter. This token is read by the prepaid meter as an amount of electricity units (kWh).
When the meter’s balance reaches zero, the meter switches off the electricity that powers your house. Indeed, the prepaid electricity meter has a relay (an automatic switch) which disconnects the power when there are no units left. When you top-up, the balance increases, and the relays let the electricity flow again.
What is a prepaid electricity meter?
Making use of a prepaid electricity service means that you purchase electricity before you use it. With a prepaid service, a vendor allows you to pay upfront, in order to manage your payments and electricity usage. Continued electricity provision depends on you prepaying on a timely basis.
How is the number of units calculated?
When you request an electricity token, the request is sent to the municipality’s vending system. The vending system checks the tariff applicable to the meter and converts the rand amount into a specific number of units. Note that most municipalities apply the inclined block tariff, whereby the more you buy within a given month, the more you pay per unit.
How do I get my meter number?
There is a card with your number inside your unit.
OR
Key in 804 on your keypad and press enter. Your meter number will then show on the display.
How do I buy electricity?
You need your meter number to buy electricity.
This is provided on a card inside your unit. Take note that only the first 11 numbers are your meter numbers
You can buy credits from any EasyPay outlet. Try Pick n Pay, Checkers, or a petrol station for your UniPIN voucher.
OR
You can use a cellphone banking app or internet banking to buy credits online. Choose the option that says “prepaid – electricity”.
The minimum purchase amount is R30,00. You will receive a PIN that needs to be entered on the keypad in your unit, after which you must press enter. The credit will then be loaded.
Are the prepaid meters easy to tamper with?
No. There are some built-in and external tamperproof measures. The prepaid meter is sealed when it is installed. If at any stage the prepaid meter is opened, it will be disabled.
What happens if I go away and run out of electricity?
We suggest that if you are going away for a short period e.g. a month or less, that you make sure that you have recharged your meter with enough electricity to last this amount of time (bear in mind your average consumption for this period). For longer periods and possibly even in the case above, you should make sure that everything that is not essential is turned off and unplugged, thus minimising any usage. You will still need to ensure that you have sufficient electricity to keep your meter going for anything that you can’t turn off.
How do I know when I'm about to run out of credit for my electricity meter?
Your meter will beep when you get down to less than a set amount of credit. You can also request to view your balance form the keypad. Key in 801 on your keypad and then press enter. Your balance will display.
YOUR CREDIT STATUS IS IDENTIFIED WITH A COLOURED LIGHT ON YOUR KEYPAD.
- Green – Credit on
meter - Red (not flashing) – Low credit amount
- Flashing Red – Low credit warning
What do I do if I have no electricity?
Check the following:
- Is your neighbour’s electricity on? If not, you could be experiencing a general power failure.
- Is your main breaker (earth leakage) on your distribution board (DB) switched on? If it is on, drop all your breakers and push them up again.
- Is your meter account
in a positive balance? - Is your meter plugged in and switched on?
If all above fails, phone your service provider.