The Overstrand Municipality would like to inform residents that the Auxiliary (AUX) charges on electricity purchases were reinstated with effect from 1 December 2025.
The Auxiliary is a long-standing debt collection mechanism used by the Municipality to help recover arrear amounts on municipal accounts. When a prepaid electricity customer’s account is in arrears, 60% of the amount paid when buying electricity is automatically allocated to their arrears account, and only 40% goes towards the purchase of electricity units.
This means customers will receive fewer units than expected until their arrears are settled.
Residents whose accounts are up to date or who have payment arrangements in place and are honouring them will not be affected by the reinstatement of the Auxiliary.
As a gesture of compassion over the festive season, the Aux charges will be temporarily suspended from 22 December 2025 to 15 January 2026, during which time no Aux will be deducted.
After that, the Auxiliary system will be applied once more, and affected customers will not receive the full number of electricity units purchased until the arrears are settled.
