LYDENBURG – Despite the fact that Thaba Chweu Municipality (TCM) faces disruption of its bulk electricity supply by Eskom due to millions of outstanding debt, hundreds of houses in Extension 8 are still using electricity unlawfully.
A resident in Mashishing informed the newspaper of these illegal connections on condition that he could remain anonymous.
Steelburger/Lydenburg News accompanied him to this extension and was shocked to see hundreds of houses and shacks connected to electricity poles and other houses.
What looked like speed bumps were actually cleverly disguised illegal connections.
Basically every house and shack was connected with electric wires from one stand to three or more other shacks and houses.
“I feel that these people should be exposed. I pay my account every month and these people simply live with free electricity.
I have never seen any officials of TCM doing any inspections at this extension.
“What I want to know is if the councillor of this ward is simply turning a blind eye to the corruption staring him straight in the face?” the source asked.
The newspaper spoke to some of those who stole electricity and most of them claimed that they were entitled to free electricity.
“Every other extension has electricity. It has been years since we have heard promises of receiving electricity and nothing has been done yet. No, I don’t feel bad for connecting illegally. It is, my right. It is winter and its cold.”
None of them seemed to care much about the municipality’s outstanding debt. “TCM owing Eskom is not my problem.”
When questioned on whether they didn’t feel that they were contributing to the outstanding amount, they said that if they had received electricity like it was promised, they would not have had to connect illegally. “Why should we be left in the dark? It is our right to have electricity.”
Chief financial officer of TCM, Mr Lesley Mokwena told the newspaper that the municipality had a plan in place with regard to electricity supply.
“The reason why we are interested in finance is because it affects us all. We are trying to make some savings on the Eskom account and we cannot have people connecting illegally. We can’t even measure how much they are consuming at the moment. We have identified these illegal connections as the biggest electricity loss. At the moment we are estimating our electricity losses to be in the region of 35 to 40 per cent.”
He said that by July, all extensions in Lydenburg and Sabie would have electricity with prepaid meters. He confirmed that a couple of years ago council had budgeted for the electrification of these extensions, but that the money was misused by the old TCM. “The plan at the moment is to get these people connected on prepaid meters as soon as possible. We will be doing this in collaboration with Cigicell, distributors of prepaid meters. Nobody wants to live in darkness.”
Until these areas are connected it will still be lights on for these stands and houses every day.
