This follows after the termination of a smart meter contract between the municipality and a private company.

EFF Chairperson, Isaac Thikhita, told OFM News that the smart meter project was from inception rejected by the party and the residents. He also stated that this is because of, what he calls, no sufficient public participation offered to the residents by the municipality.

Meanwhile, the municipality says it is urgently implementing measures to ensure the customers are not impacted negatively. Furthermore, the municipality will be replacing all smart meters by pre-paid conventional meters. Thikhita argued that irrespective of the smart meters being rejected by the residents, the process was, however, installed and as a result, many homes were affected and left in darkness.

OFM News/Paila Chauke