Many businesses in eMbalenhle were found to be illegally connected when the Govan Mbeki Municipality embarked on a revenue collection campaign on Friday, November 4.
These businesses include taverns, grocery shops and a bakery.
An Ethiopian national who is the bakery owner was arrested on Wednesday, November 09 in eMbalenhle, when the municipality alleged that he had bypassed a meter that supply electricity to his bakery, two restaurant and hair salon.
The suspect was charged with tempering with essential infrastructure and illegal supplying of electricity.
Constable Busi Mthethwa confirmed the arrest of the businessman and said he will appear before court soon.
The executive mayor, Nhlakanipho Zuma, and councillors led the campaign, Zuma instructed officials from the electrical department to cut off all defaulting and illegally connected businesses until they come forward to pay for their services.
The campaign did not bother other business owners who told the newspaper that it was a fruitless exercise because the same municipal officials will come back later to illegally re-connect them as long as they get money.
Zuma told the council that the municipality was not doing well with the collecting of revenue collection.
The municipality’s debt to Eskom and Rand Water keeps increasing and they are struggling to pay both accounts.
GMM’s combined debt to Eskom and Rand Water is R3,8 billion.
