Drastic action against repeat offenders
The Merafong City Local Municipality has started with drastic action against people in Carletonville who continually tamper with its infrastructure to avoid paying for services.
On Thursday, 28 July, the executive mayor, Ms Nozuko Best and a group of officials and workers started an unprecedented action in Calcite Crescent. The electrical connection to houses of people who continually bridge their electricity meters was dug up and severed so they could not steal electricity anymore.
The mayor and officials told the Herald they had no choice but to take this drastic action.
“We have caught the same people bridging their electricity meters before.
“After we disconnect them, they just pay a fine and then bridge their meter again until the next time. Many of these people have built extra rooms without submitting building plans.
“They rent them out and make a lot of money from their properties. At the same time, they refuse to pay for services,” one of the municipality’s town planners, Mr Gerhard Aucamp, told the Herald.
“This is the only way we can get these people to cooperate. Their services will be reconnected once they have paid their fines,” says the executive mayor.
The municipality says that electricity meter audits were conducted on 20 properties during the outreach. Five meters that had been tampered with were disconnected.
Two of the guilty parties made payments of R6,000 and R12,000 and further concluded payment arrangements with the municipality.
Their quick response confirmed that the initiative had worked.
Four faulty meters were also found during the same action and will be replaced.
