Warning for South Africans with new Eskom smart meters

• South Africans with new Eskom smart meters should be aware of potential hefty fines and disconnection if their meters show unusual usage.
• Eskom is rolling out smart meters to eliminate load reduction by 2027, targeting 971 feeders and benefiting approximately 1.69 million customers across all provinces.
• The introduction of smart meters aims to deter electricity theft and illegal connections, but critics argue that the high cost of electricity and failures in the Free Basic Electricity grant are major factors driving these issues.