Tshwane ILLEGAL water, electricity connectors can redeem themselves

The City of Tshwane is launching an amnesty programme for those with illegal water and electricity connections to redeem themselves.

The programme will be launched at Tshwane House on Sunday morning at 11:00 for customers to record incorrect or lower consumption.

TSHWANE FACES LARGE ELECTRICITY THEFT

Daily electricity theft in the city has become a large issue, costing the city’s revenue an estimated R470 million a year.

This was revealed by Tshwane MMC for Finance Peter Sutton in May this year during his budget speech.

To address this challenge, Sutton further says that the city would partner with law enforcement agencies to clean its system from those who execute these illegal connections and tampering adjustments.

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CUSTOMERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT

Despite this, customers will be given an opportunity to come clean, said Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba.

Those in the wrong can apply for amnesty before the city finds them, Bokaba said.

“The amnesty programme will run for a period of two months, after which drastic measures will be implemented to deal with transgressors.”

Selby Bokaba

HUNDREDS OF ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCONNECTED

Earlier this month, the City of Tshwane went after the Brazzaville informal settlement. The Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) and the Danville police station disconnected 800 illegal electricity connections.

These connections were made to the Phelindaba overhead line which supplies areas such as Schurveberg AH and other nearby businesses, said MMC for Utilities and Regional Operations Daryl Johnston.

“These illegal connections had a negative effect on the supply of electricity in the area to residential and commercial consumers. During the operation at Brazzaville informal settlement, an estimated R400 000 of electrical material was removed.”

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These included 11kV overhead lines, aluminium conductors and aluminium aerial bundle conductors.

Three medium-voltage transformers were also removed, said Johnston.

“This is a significant set of stolen infrastructure. Illegal connections are the reason many areas experience power trips after loadshedding, which results in extended power outages.”

Daryl Johnston

Such illegal connections have cost the city hundreds of millions of rands in damages to infrastructure and repair costs.