Remember Y2K?
Seems the technology predates Y2K. 
"The challenge revolves around what is known as the Token Identifier (TID) Rollover event, a technical limitation that dates back to the initial rollout of STS-compliant prepayment meters in 1993."

Some "consultant" didn't do what they were supposed to, it seems 🤣   Perhaps those that have been producing the STS-compliant meters need to sue, or the countries and municipalities should sue the producers.

https://businesstech.co.za/news/energy/795731/trouble-for-3-million-prepaid-electricity-users-in-south-africa-next-month/

Edited October 18, 20241 yr by zsde

This youtube news24 item seems to cover it quite well.

It would appear that forcing new tokens will get rid of ghost tokens, and other related issues, due to the change. Which also gives an indication of how rife meter bypassing and tampering maybe??

Also the tshwane municipal credit control bakkies have been very busy in our street, migrating households to prepaid, and investigating meters that did not upgrade it seems :0

 

 

Edited October 19, 20241 yr by Arandoza

A link to the salga dashboard, looks like more meters have had the software upgrade seems to have dropped from 565394 to 395833 meters still to be upgraded.

https://www.salga.org.za/event/sts/Home.html