A protest in Elandsfontein recently disrupted morning commuters making their way to work on Barbara Road.
According to media liaison officer from EMPD Lerato Monyane, residents of Emabondeni were protesting illegal electricity connections.
“The police dispersed the crowd and cleared the road for traffic to flow. The residents went to the energy department to be assisted with the disconnection of the illegal connections,” said Monyane.
City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) spokesperson Themba Gadebe said the residents did come to the CoE.
Gadebe said the city had several operations to remove illegal connections in the area.
“Some residents held a technician hostage at the Germiston depot on July 31 and a city vehicle’s windscreen was smashed. The technician is undergoing counselling based on the Emabondeni issue.”
CoE added they had another operation to remove the illegal connections on August 4.
According to CoE, illegal connections and electricity theft cause unnecessary power outages that overstretch the city’s resources and slow down service delivery to legal power users.
“Most people understand connecting illegally can be dangerous, but continue to do so.”
Residents are encouraged to report any illegal connection or suspicion of illegal connection activities to the municipal call centre on 086 054 3000. Include the street name where the illegal connection is, full address and a pole number, if possible.
The city shared safety tips on the use of electricity:
- Do not pull out plugs by the cord. This damages the cable and can lead to electrical wires being exposed.
- Do not put bare electrical wires into sockets.
- Do not touch any electrical appliances with wet hands.
- Never use electricity in the bathroom; water and electricity are a dangerous combination.
- Do not pass electric cords from one room to another through hinges of doors or windows where they can be squashed or damaged.
- Do not overload plug points.
- Never leave electrical appliances unattended while in use.
- Switch off heaters, stoves, and kettles when no longer in use.
- Ensure you purchase electrical products from reputable companies, distributors and retailers.
- Be extremely cautious when pruning vegetation grown between high-powered electrical lines. Isolate the power supply before pruning.
If your children play outside near power lines, warn them about the following:
- Avoid playing near power lines or substations.
- Do not fly kites near power lines. If a kite gets stuck in a power line, do not try to retrieve it; you could be hurt.
- Never climb trees or other structures near power lines.
