Illegal electricity connections will be disconnected- City warns

The City of Johannesburg is closing the net on customers and businesses who evade paying for electricity and water – by illegally connecting to the

main grid. A joint operation task team comprising the City’s credit control officials, Johannesburg Metro Police and inspectors have already undertaken a number of cases where millions have been lost through the illegal connections.

Through conducting door-to-door credit control, the City uncovered a number of customers who have illegally connected to the grid. Some of the customers who have been disconnected were as a result of tip-offs from the members of the public.

Kgamanyane Maphologela, director of Customer Communications said the sting operation was prompted by customers who ignore pre-termination notices

sent to them as a result of overdue accounts.

The City issues an estimated 25 000 number of pre-termination notices a month and only less get honoured.

“We’re thankful for those who have joined the programme and appreciate their bravery and sense of civic duty. We hope that the public will continue to

work with us in our efforts to improve our services,” said Maphologela.

Already, the crack-down on illegal connection is bearing fruits with disconnections having been enforced on businesses and customers.

On 29 January, the task team pounced on a company based at China Shopping Discount Centre, in Randburg, that owes the City more than R2.6 million on electricity and around R558 000 on rates, sewer and refuse.

The sting operation uncovered that the company didn’t have an electricity meter, but the electricity was illegally connected to the transformer. The allegation was that the landlord removed the meter.

Debt collection and service delivery are the two greatest challenges facing local government in South Africa.

“The fact that not only household consumers, but also businesses and the government itself, are in arrears demonstrates that debt collection practices

are inadequate and that the factors that underlie the reasons for and consequences of non-payment are not fully understood and have not been

sufficiently addressed in a disciplined manner, ” said Maphologela.

The director said credit control involves a number of actions such as the normal debt management intended to encourage the customers to pay. But

should the customers refuse to pay, more drastic actions are taken.

Maphologela warned, “Any customer who is found to have illegally connected, the City will be bound to disconnect all the services but not

limited to taking the customer off the grid. Those customers will have to pay heavy penalties to be reconnected to the grid. Normally, the costs associated

with restoration of services is more than R20 000.”

Details: Kgamanyane Maphologela Director: Communications and Stakeholder Management Group Finance 011 358 3420.