Durban — EThekwini residents using new electricity smart meters supplied by Africa Utility Solutions have confirmed that they are functioning.
After the Daily News published a story about the legal battle between the eThekwini municipality and the company following the published information purportedly leaked by the City’s internal staff that the City allegedly paid R500 million for meters that do not work, the paper went to ask the households to find from them as consumers the correct account of the issue.
Reginald Moalosi who is a trustee with the body corporate of the 28-room flat in Avoca north of Durban gave the paper’s team access to the meter room. The meter appeared to be working well and Moalosi confirmed that they had never experienced any problems since they were installed, adding that they were getting their bills from the municipality every month.
“I cannot comment on the problems between the City and its service providers but in our point of view as the people using these products we don’t have a problem. I guess if the meters were not working we would be living in darkness since the municipality would have cut electricity supplies for non-payment,” said Moalosi.
Last week Africa Utility Solutions CC served the City with a letter demanding it issue a statement within 30 days countering the published news report that the company was allegedly paid R500 million for dysfunctional meters, threatening the City with the lawsuit of the same amount as a compensation for the financial loss and reputational damage.
However, in response to the letter, the City said it was not liable for any alleged damages that the company may have suffered as a result of the article published without the municipality’s participation. Furthermore, the City said it was also a victim of the article since those who leaked it were on a mission to dent the public image of the municipality.
“The article complained of, was not published by the municipality and none of the statements made therein were made by the municipality or its authorised representatives. It is clear from the article that the quoted sources were not speaking on behalf of the municipality, instead they were on a mission to discredit the municipality and dent its public image, therefore in the circumstances we dispute that we have a legal duty to make public statement on the matter,” read the City’s response.
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