Central SA
Emfuleni slaps smart meter bypasses with hefty fines─── ZENANDE MPAME 11:45 Tue, 23 Sep 2025
Emfuleni homeowners found guilty of bypassing may face fines of up to R10,000, while business owners could be forced to pay as much as R40,000.
The Vaal Triangle municipality has seen an increase in illegal bypasses through its smart meter programme, costing the municipality revenue. The programme was launched in February, and it was aimed at improving revenue collection, reducing electricity losses, and providing consumers with real-time usage data.
Vereeniging is where the municipality is most impacted by bypassed smart meters, with nearly 70 bypasses found there. It is estimated that Three Rivers has at least 62 smart meter bypasses, whereas Vanderbijlpark has at least 55.
Smart meter customer interface unit. Photo: BXC Online
An investigation revealed that there were three syndicates involving former municipal or BXC employees who were taking money to bypass for homeowners and businesses with smart meters.
“Emfuleni municipality is aware of former smart meter contractors doing bypasses for financial gain,” said Emfuleni spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni.
“In Vanderbijlpark, bypasses are mushrooming in CE1, SE2, SE6, and SE7, costing ELM an average of approximately R2,000 per month per account.”
BXC smart meter service provider. Photo: Citizen
Vaalweekblad previously reported in July that the smart meter service provider BXC found that an increasing number of streets in the heavily populated area are completely bypassed, with even more streets achieving a 90% and 80% bypass rate. This is because of the concentrated student housing.
Although smart meter infrastructure can be bypassed, unlike traditional prepaid meters, it is picked up instantly by the BXC IT network and allows for swift action.
“While some people might see that this surge in the so-called bypassing of meters is a negative, it is in fact a success story,” said Emfuleni DA councillor Maureen Dosoudil. “We will be able to detect theft of electricity sooner and be able to increase our revenue, and prevent theft.
“This is an indication of how successful it has been. The problem now is that Emfuleni should follow up. Households will be fined R10,000 and businesses R40,000.
“If you bypass again, they will remove the cable, and there are further charges. So, the secret to this whole success story is the fact that Emfuleni must follow up, and they should do it consistently and rigorously.”
