Increase in theft, vandalism of Eskom networks during lockdown
Community members are urged to report any illegal activities, including illegal connections
Eskom has noted with concern an increase in the theft and vandalism of its electricity infrastructure in Gauteng, even during this crucial Covid-19 national lockdown.
As a result, Eskom has unfortunately experienced power supply interruptions in recent days as direct causes by such illegal and theft related activities, said Motlhabane Ramashi, senior manager for operations and maintenance in the Gauteng Operating Unit.
“The theft and vandalism of the network and equipment do not only result in outages that cause an inconvenience to the public, but also have a significantly negative impact on our operations and efforts to provide the much needed service to essential services and residents.”
Eskom is working closely with law enforcement agencies and joint operation centres at various levels to contain the criminality.
“We call upon members of the community to take ownership of the electricity network infrastructure by safe-guarding it and reporting any crimes, including illegal connections and meter-bypasses, by calling the Eskom Contact Centre on 0860 037 566, or the crime line number 0800 112 722.”
