What is split-metering, and why does Soweto have it?

[Kevin Lancaster]

What is split-metering, and why does Soweto have it?

Pre-paid split meters were introduced in areas like Soweto because people were tampering with meter boxes and stealing electricity, a civil society conference on the country’s electricity crisis heard on Thursday.

 

[maumau]

Our domestic tells me these are being installed in Cosmo City.

I didn't know what they were called.

Big ups to whoever's organising this improvement.

 

[greg_SA]

I have one in my house - AFAIK it is the new regulation on all new installations.

A box outside the house - has to be accessible to municipality/Eksom. It has the main meter. Inside the house is just a keypad/display.

The keypad has a link that is either wired or wireless - apparently the wireless ones can be a pain if you get interference.

 

[Beachless]

Pretoria has had these for at least 10 years.

 

[Snick]

I have one in my house - AFAIK it is the new regulation on all new installations.

A box outside the house - has to be accessible to municipality/Eksom. It has the main meter. Inside the house is just a keypad/display.

The keypad has a link that is either wired or wireless - apparently the wireless ones can be a pain if you get interference.

It's not the same. The soweto split meters are either submerged underground or in protective enclosures to prevent tampering.

 

[kianm]

Awesome. #PayYourBills

 

[BlackMamba]

We had this for the past 18 years in MP rural areas, I don't understand why Sowetans are complaining about, I have heard that it is easy to tamper. There has been few cases in my area

 

[deweyzeph]

So what's stopping you from just stealing the electricity from further down the chain behind the secured meter? That's the problem with electricity distribution. It doesn't matter how well you secure a meter, or part of a meter, unless the entire distribution grid is 100% underground, at some point it will be exposed above ground and then there's bugger all you can do to stop people making illegal connections.

 

[boerseun]

OK, so basically these people protested because they would not longer be able to steal electricity?? Wow. Just Wow.

 

[grok]

If it help prevents theft, can we install split metering in Zuma & government too?

 

[ellyally]

I have one in my house - AFAIK it is the new regulation on all new installations.

A box outside the house - has to be accessible to municipality/Eksom. It has the main meter. Inside the house is just a keypad/display.

The keypad has a link that is either wired or wireless - apparently the wireless ones can be a pain if you get interference.

As far as I know, this is the standard now, all new/replaced installs over the last several years are these. CoJ has been rolling them out for years now, slowly doing area by area. Its not just 'areas like Soweto because people were tampering with meter boxes and stealing electricity', its everywhere. But of course, Soweto is being discriminated against, so loot and burn everything. i.e. these are the new 'smart meters'(?)

 

[richjdavies]

As far as I know, this is the standard now

It's not unusual -- flats I've stayed in in Sea Point, Century City and other apartments around Cape Town. There's two bits to it - one is the 'meter' that sits in switchroom and the other bit is just the user-interface.

Don't worry, they aren't treating anyone 'special'