MEC FOR COGTA WARNS AGAINST ELECTRICITY ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS

MEC FOR COGTA WARNS AGAINST ELECTRICITY ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS

The MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in Mpumalanga, Refilwe Mtshweni warns the communities against illegal connections of electricity.

Mtshweni says the illegal connections have adverse effect in the delivery of basic services such as water, sanitation, and community lighting. She says this reduces the supply of power to the Water Treatment Plants, Reservoirs; Waste Water Treatment plants and it affects delivery of water. She says the stability of electricity networks is also affected and contributes to revenue loss to both Eskom and Local Municipalities which leads to the exponential increase of electricity tariffs

Losses are currently estimated at R1.5 billion a year to municipalities and contribute to the high electricity debt to Eskom by Local Municipalities as much of the electricity consumed is currently unaccounted for.

Mtshweni says the major risk of illegal connections is poor quality of supply of electricity that is experienced by a number of communities which leads to unplanned power outages. “Communities are exposed to live electricity wires and this leads to a loss of lives and livestock. Electricity expansion become more expensive due to illegal connections”, she added.

Mtshweni says both government and Eskom are working hard to reduce illegal connections, by using the following methods:  Installing tamper-proof technologies such as secured pre-paid meters, working with law enforcement agencies to strengthen the legal framework and investigate and prosecute electricity criminals.