eMBALENHLE – The Govan Mbeki Municipality is removing illegal electricity connections (“izinyoka”) in various towns.
Illegal electricity connections not only cost the municipality, it also disturb electricity flow resulting in countless power failures and unplanned outages for communities.
“The network overloads and trips because it is carrying more users than what it was designed for,” said Mr Lucky Mhlongo, spokesman of the municipality.
He said people who are not paying for electricity tend to be wasteful in the way they use electricity, which inconveniences those who are paying.
“The next time your lights are out and you cannot watch TV or cook, remember that this might be caused by illegal electricity connections,” said Mr Mhlongo.
Last week Govan Mbeki Municipality’s Compliance and Law Enforcement Unit and technicians partnered with police and members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to remove illegal connection in the area.
In Extension 22 illegal connection were removed from 21 stands for bridging or tampering with the meter boxes. Cables illegally connected to at least 500 households were disconnected in the Mandela Section.
The municipality claimed that illegal electricity connections and tampering have caused many power supply interruptions in the area due to overloading to the grid.
In a press statement the municipality claimed that illegal connections cause damage to electricity supply infrastructure, such as burning of transformers.
The municipality said it is losing millions of Rand in revenue due to electricity theft, in addition to the losses suffered by local businesses during electricity outages caused by illegal connections.
The MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in Mpumalanga, Mr Mandla Msibi has commended the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality for taking a decisive step of disconnecting illegal electricity connections at eMbalenhle.
The municipality, the police and SANDF conducted a blitz to remove illegal connections.
Mr Msibi said illegal connections are a scourge that paralyses municipalities from supplying power to deserving citizens.
“The Govan Mbeki Municipality is not immune from the loss of revenue, amounting to millions of Rands due to electrical illegal connections.
“The transformers often cut the supply of electricity due to overloading, and as a result the municipality incur losses worth millions of rands for replacement.
“The disconnections will send a strong message to the culprits that tampering with the infrastructure is a criminal offence.
“Uncovered electrical lines contribute to fatalities through electrocution.
“It has a devastation effect to the local economic development. No business can operate effectively in an environment of power outages. They discourage investments that we need to boost our local economies and further contribute to job losses.”
Mr Msibi urged communities to pay for the use of electricity and other municipal services to prevent a collapse of municipalities.
To report illegal connections contact the municipal Compliance and Law Enforcement at 017 620 6327 or email:madiso.m@govanmbeki.gov.za.
