South African city’s new smart meters allegedly burn through electricity tokens

• Residents in parts of Mbombela, South Africa, have complained that the city's new smart meters deplete prepaid electricity units faster than they should.
• The City of Mbombela is one of the worst performers in the country when it comes to payments for electricity to Eskom, owing R2.74 billion as of September 2026.
• The DA has called on the city's executive mayor to account for the concerns and has expressed frustration with the municipality's handling of the issue.