Ivory Park residents prevent Eskom from removing illegal connections

The community of Ivory Park and surrounding areas are urged to collaborate to ensure supply is restored and paid for.

Picture: iStock

Although Eskom is ready to resume with operations to replace failed transformers in Ivory Park due to illegal connections and meter bypasses which resulted in a network overload, the community has prevented the entity to do so, reports Kempton Express.

In a statement issued on Wednesday morning, Motlhabane Ramashi, operations and maintenance senior manager in the Gauteng Operating Unit, said Eskom met with Ivory Park councillors, officials from the City of Joburg and the taxi association on August 1 in an effort to enable Eskom technicians to work safely in the area.

However, the meeting collapsed as there was no agreement reached on the process to engage the community.

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“We would like to urge the community of Ivory Park to collaborate with Eskom to adequately deal with this matter by allowing us access to the area so that we can conduct audits, remove illegal connections, disconnect bypassed meters and issue fines for the contraventions. The intention for the preceding activities is to avoid the repeat of damage to the equipment and electricity network,” said Ramashi.

He said Eskom had a schedule and a plan in place that outlined how and when the replacements of failed equipment would be executed. The process was consistent with Eskom’s operations, applied throughout Eskom Gauteng and would not be deviated from, said Ramashi.

“Eskom is not in a position to continuously replace failed mini-substations and pole-mounted transformers in areas where the residents are not paying for their electricity. Non-payment of electricity does not only impact on the security of supply for paying customers, but also contributes to increased energy and revenue losses, coupled with increased operational costs.

“This is not sustainable and not in line with Eskom’s revenue management practices. The non-payment further frustrates efforts to improve on Eskom’s financial and operational objectives.

The community of Ivory Park, surrounding areas and others in similar conditions in Gauteng, are urged to collaborate with Eskom to ensure supply is restored and paid for.

“Eskom employee safety will take priority at all times and the community can assist by submitting a written commitment to Eskom guaranteeing its staff safety and non-interference while they perform their work,” concluded Ramashi.

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