City of Mbombela to enforce heavy fines for electricity tampering soon
The by-law will come to effect during the new municipal financial year. Businesses and private households found guilty of electricity theft will be heavily fined or face the relevant jail time.
The City of Mbombela (CoM) has finally approved a by-law that allows the municipality to issue hefty fines for anyone tampering with electricity supply by attempting to create bridges and bypass meters. The by-law will come into effect during the new municipal financial year.
The CoM council had adopted a motion by the FF Plus councillor Ken Robertson during a special sitting at the chambers on September 29 last year. Robertson submitted an amendment to the by-law to institute substantial fines for businesses and domestic establishments that obtain electricity illegally.
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These businesses found guilty will be fined R10 000 for the first offence and R30 000 for the second one, or could face time behind bars. The households found guilty of domestic electricity theft will be fined R5 000 for the first offence and up to R20 000 for the second, or relevant jail time.
“Despite the money to Eskom, CoM’s former electricity by-law had only made allowance for a R500 fine for the first offence, or a relevant jail sentence. The law also did not distinguish between domestic theft and business theft of electricity. We must at least start with the correct legislation to get us there,” Robertson said.
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He welcomed the adoption of the by-law and the fact that it will become effective. He said this will also ensure the number of those stealing power from the municipality would decrease.
The CoM’s spokesperson, Joseph Ngala, said the amendment has been approved and will be instituted later this year. He also echoed Robertson’s sentiments that these heavy fines would assist in decreasing the number of electricity thefts. “Once the by-law has been instituted, the municipality will issue notices to customers so they know beforehand what the consequences for stealing electricity will be.”
He once again urged those who tamper with electricity infrastructure to immediately stop doing so.
