******* Eskom Employees demanding bribe to reconnect electricity

Good Evening

I own a property in Hartbee****rt.

This morning, 3 employees from Eskom came to our estate with a diss-connect instruction for my electricity. The employees travelling in vehicle registration number CH90NC. After handing me a notice number *** the employees disconnected my power. I accessed my bank profile on my mobile and showed the employees I paid yesterday R4000 and today R4000. Despite this, my power was disconnected.

I was very upset ****erally burst out in tears) since I have a full house of family that arrived for a funeral service. My mother passed away over the week end. I had to cook for the entire family and no electricity would have placed me in a very bad situation. I explained the situation to the Eskom Employees who told me not to cry. He told us that he is sure we can make a plan. The one employee told my husband that he is black and my husband white and that we can make a plan to solve this problem. The officer demanded R600 cash to re-connect my power for me. I refused to pay this and the employees left the property.

First of all, I would like to express my dissatisfaction with Eskom. I have a standard debit order payment of R4000 per month. Some winter months, the electricity consumption is more. Should this happen, and any arrears, a notice is delivered to my house and I have 14 days to settle. Which I always did. In this particular instance, absolutely zero notice was delivered to my house. My power was literally just cut off. (after paying R4000 yesterday and R4000 today). According to the law, this is ******* and no Eskom customer (especially one paying his electricity every month) should be treated like this. Especially after I showed the proof of payments to the employee.

Further, I am bitterly disappointed that Eskom employees take advantage of customers desperate situation and try to bribe customers to reconnect their power. I expect an investigation and hope at minimum that these ******* employees will lose their jobs.

Your outcome on this investigation is appreciated. Thabita Joubert