The Naledi Local Municipality in the North West Province of South Africa underwent a transformative change with the rollout of smart meters. This initiative, spearheaded by a collaboration between the municipality, Tech-co Vodacom, smart meter provider Ontech, and IoT solution specialists Macrocomm, has significantly improved the municipality's ability to manage its electricity supply and revenue collection. Here we explore the rollout process, its impact on the municipality, and Vodacom's crucial role in this successful implementation.

Rolling out smart meters

The RT 29 Smart Metering Project was established to assist municipalities in revenue collection, protection, and generation, paving the way for improved utility management and accelerated service delivery. The project involved the deployment of over 6,000 smart meters across the Naledi municipality, with a particular focus on overcoming meter tampering and bypassing.

According to Modisenyane Thompson Segapo, the Municipal Manager of Naledi Local Municipality, "We already deployed 6,000 or 6,100 meters. We know they're tamper-free. We have more than a thousand meters that were bypassed just in the Vryburg area." This deployment has been instrumental in addressing the high levels of electricity losses, which previously stood at 26%, far above the norm of 5%.

How the municipality has benefited

The introduction of smart meters has had a profound impact on the Naledi Local Municipality. One of the most significant benefits has been the improvement in revenue collection. Clifton J. Groep, the Mayor of Naledi Local Municipality, highlighted this by stating, "In the past, the municipality was bleeding in terms of electricity sales. This technology has changed our lives as a municipality for the better. It helps us with accurate billing."

The smart meters have also enhanced the municipality's ability to detect and prevent tampering. Mayor Groep noted, "Meters are so advanced it helps us to detect before anyone tampers with the meter, the meter will notify us so that we block and minimize any losses." This capability has been a game changer, reducing the financial strain caused by electricity theft and enabling the municipality to maintain payments on its Eskom account.

Leon Pretorius, the Executive Manager of Technical Services and Facilities Management, emphasized the long-term benefits of the smart metering system: "The best of this smart metering system is that it's not only an electricity meter, it has a functionality that you can use this smart electricity meter ultimately to become your portal in the municipality that all your services will be running through."

Vodacom's role in the rollout

Vodacom played a pivotal role in the successful rollout of smart meters in Naledi. The tech-co’s involvement extended beyond providing the necessary technology; it also included developing an app that allows residents to procure electricity through their banking systems. Kagiso Maruping, the Chief Financial Officer of Naledi Local Municipality, explained, "When this project came to effect, the Vodacom team had already developed an app for people to procure electricity through their banking systems. And it is the safest app that we can get in terms of procuring, in terms of purchasing electricity."

Peter Malebye, Vodacom Business Chief of Sales, highlighted the importance of collaboration in the project's success: "The problem that smart metering is addressing, it's a big, big challenge. It's not going to take one company, it's going to take an ecosystem that is well experienced in their part. So it's all about collaboration."

Collaboration was the key to this success

The success of the smart meter rollout in Naledi is a testament to the power of collaboration. Divhane Munyai, Director of Technical Services at Naledi Local Municipality, praised the partnership between the municipality, Ontech, Macrocom, and Vodacom: "We went to Macrocom and said, ‘Allow us to lead. And then you guys follow, we'll show you where the meters are missing.’ It was a beautiful collaboration between Naledi Local Municipality, Ontech, Macrocom, and Vodacom."

Svi Moodley, Group Chief Executive Officer of Macrocom, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the project's focus on sustainability and economic development: "The other important thing that Macrocom has done is focused on ensuring that we take people from the local communities, train them, create a whole training program so that people can have sustainable jobs going forward."

The rollout of smart meters in Naledi Local Municipality has been a resounding success, bringing about significant improvements in utility management and revenue collection. This initiative has not only addressed the municipality's financial challenges but also paved the way for future advancements in service delivery. The collaboration between Naledi Local Municipality, Vodacom, Ontech, and Macrocom serves as a model for other municipalities looking to implement similar projects. As Mayor Clifton J. Groep aptly put it, "This is a success story that can be told and shaped throughout the country."