Illegal electricity connections rife in Witpoortjie
Illegal electricity connections are rife in Witpoortjie and surrounding areas. City Power has undertaken to act swiftly to address this.
The open veld along Progress Road between Kingsley Street and Nick Toomey Boulevard is littered with illegal electricity connections.
During a visit by the Record last week, it was revealed that many residences in the informal settlement that has sprung up along Progress Road is electrified from illegal – and dangerous – connections, tapping power from overhead electricity poles.
Wires connected to City Power infrastructure is strung all along the veld, through trees, and leading to the informal settlement.
Resident André Labuschagne, says these illegal connections have been there for years. “Whenever City Power (CP) comes out to disconnect them, they are simply reinstalled and reconnected the minute they leave,” he says.
According to Labuschagne these illegal connections pose a danger to residents. “In addition to the fact that it interferes with the proper working of the electrical infrastructure, these wires are more often than not simply strung through the trees and shrubs in the veld.
“In high wind, they are likely to come down. They are rarely insulated and pose a danger to people who may come into contact with them.”
The Record visited this site, as well as a site along Van Der Linde Street, adjacent to the Princess informal settlement, where a ditch was dug in plain sight from an electricity pole, across the road, and into a small veld from where live and uninsulated wires emerge from underground, and lie on the ground where anyone can step on them.
These wires are lain on the ground, leading to a small clump of informal houses nearby.
“I find it highly unfair that law abiding residents have to fork out good money to pay for our services, when other members of the community simply take what they want,” adds Labuschagne.
“They don’t even care that these bare wires are simply pulled through the veld where children often play. It is a question of time before someone gets seriously injured, or dies because of these exposed wires.”
The Record spoke to CP Maintenance Connection Manager Alan Shikwambana who reiterated that illegal connections can wreak havoc on the entity’s infrastructure, and interfere with service delivery.
“We urge residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity around substations or other infrastructure in their neighborhoods,” he says.
Suspicious activity, including illegal connections, and vandalism of mini-substations can be reported via Whatsapp on 083 579 4497, or telephonically on 011 490 7900, or 011 490 7553.”
Shikwambana has undertaken to investigate the reported illegal connections and attend to them speedily.
