Tamper tantrum: City fines pensioner R7900 for krag box issue

A Scottsville pensioner says she is furious with the City of Cape Town after its Electricity Department gave her a hefty fine for allegedly tampering with her krag meter box.

The 62-year-old woman, who asked not to be identified, says she was surprised to receive a letter stating she needs to pay a fine of R7907 for electricity petering with the supply cable.

The woman says a City contract worker visited her home in Snell Street in February to install a new prepaid meter box and when he left, her 122 units were also gone.

She later received a letter to say she had tampered with the box and received the fine as a result.

“I did not tamper with the box, this is a lie, this is a scam. The seal of the old box was still on when the contract worker came here, so how could I have tampered with it?

“The contractor also made my remaining units disappear.

“How can I tamper with a box where the electricity I buy is on record monthly?

“This is daylight robbery, having to pay for something I didn't do. Every time I buy electricity, 50% is deducted from the amount purchased. I know more people will come forward with this problem.”

According to Mayco Member for Energy, Councillor Beverley van Reenen, their electricity teams found evidence of electricity tampering on the supply cable in the pensioner’s Distribution Board.

“When evidence of tampering is found, the City conducts a full investigation, which includes examining the resident’s electricity usage and purchase history, in detail, over a number of years.

“After reviewing all evidence, the City’s investigations found sufficient prima facie evidence to support the issuing of the contravention notice in accordance with the City’s Electricity Supply By-law.”

But the pensioner says she’s been living in her house for 35 years and never had problems while she faithfully buys R200 of krag every month.

She says she is convinced the fault is on the City’s side and wants the matter sorted out.

[email protected]