By localnew 
South Africans using prepaid electricity meters have been urged to take immediate action as a new nationwide warning has been issued about meters that will soon stop working if not updated in time.
According to Eskom and municipal electricity suppliers, all prepaid meters must undergo a Token Identifier (TID) reset — a mandatory update that ensures the meters continue accepting electricity tokens. Without this update, users will eventually be unable to load units, even if they have bought electricity.
Officials say many households are still unaware of the deadline, putting them at risk of unexpected disconnections.
What Will Happen If You Don’t Update?
If the TID reset is not done:
Your prepaid meter will reject all new tokens
You won’t be able to load electricity, even if you have credit
You may need a technician, which could cause delays
Some areas may experience bulk disconnections for meters that fail to comply
How the Reset Works
Most households will receive two special reset tokens (Key Change Tokens) when they purchase electricity. These must be loaded before loading any new normal tokens.
The steps are usually:
Buy electricity as normal
The vendor will issue two reset tokens
Enter Token 1
Enter Token 2
Then load your normal token
Municipalities have urged residents to keep all receipts and to call customer support if the tokens fail to load.
Beware of Scammers
With the update underway, scammers are targeting households by pretending to be technicians. Authorities warn:
No one should enter your home to perform a TID reset
The update does not require physical access to your meter
Anyone demanding payment or access is a scam
Urgent Call to Action
Authorities are encouraging all South Africans to buy at least one prepaid token soon, even a small amount, to ensure you receive the reset codes before the deadline.
Failure to update the meter in time could leave households without electricity for days or weeks.
Image source: https://www.polity.org.za