Statement of the African National Congress Women’s League in helping the nation with Eskom meter registration campaign
25 November 2024
The ANC Women's League calls for an extension of the deadline by South Africa's public utility energy supplier, in its nationwide update of electricity meters to the new Key Revision Number 2 (KRN2) Eskom has indicated that almost seven (7) million South Africans on prepaid meters across Eskom-supplied areas are affected by this update. This in effect means that all meters that have not been updated will stop accepting electricity tokens.
The deadline of the 24 November 2024 has since created a nationwide panic from multitudes of our people who anxiously flooded Eskom offices and registered outlets to comply with this deadline.
The ANC Women's League therefore demand that Eskom must extend this deadline to give ample time for destitute communities who do not have the luxury to have received their initial warning of the current situation.
Eskom's narrative that seeks to suggest that the country has been forewarned of the meter transition has no basis, as many of our indigent communities do not have the luxury to access digital communication.
It is therefore our demand that Eskom extend this deadline and make a comprehensive awareness drive through traditional communication platforms accessible to all, such as broad public awareness through community radio stations, public meetings and other national media platforms.
The ANC Women's League further rejects the widely publicised penalty and meter replacement fine of an exorbitant twelve thousand rands (R 12 000) for failing to update within the prescribed deadline.
This is against the principles of Ubuntu as the majority of our people depend on social grants which cannot settle this amount even in instalments, the ANC Women's League renounces this proposition.
The ANC Women's League has since taken a conscious decision to intervene and help expedite the registration process by assisting those who do not have technological access to hasten the process.
We therefore make a call and direct all our structures and ANCWL volunteers across the country to join the masses of our people in the various centres where Eskom registration is taking place, and use our own gadgets and data, to assist our people who are in majority women and indigent.
Our ANCWL structures will immediately go on a massive door to door in our trademark Molo Makhelwane campaign to assist our grandmothers in our communities to comply with the migration to Eskom's KRN2 update.
The ANC Women's League is resolute in its mission to be part of the solution to all societal problems and we urge the relevant government departments to ensure massive awareness during this transitional period.
Malibongwee!!!
Issued by ANCWL, 25 November 2024
