KwaDukuza promises to disconnect homes and businesses stealing electricity

KwaDukuza municipality has vowed to disconnect anyone illegally connected to its electrical grid in an effort to combat energy loss.

The municipality on Monday noted that it had started with an operation to deal with the theft of electricity.

“KDM is disconnecting all households and businesses that have tampered with electrical meters, as well as all those households and businesses which have illegally connected themselves onto the KDM grid,” said KDM communication and knowledge management officer, Sphelelo Ngobese.

“The municipality maintains that it is not going to tolerate persons who steal electricity as well as those who are responsible for enabling the theft of electricity.”

Ngobese added that culprits and criminals had no place in the municipal electricity network.

“The mighty arm of the law will deal with those who are partaking in illegal activities.”

In KDM’s audit report presented to council at the end of January, a staggering R115 million was recorded for energy losses.

The Critical Infrastructure Protection Act which came into effect in 2018 provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years jail time for damaging critical infrastructure.

The minimum sentence for first time offenders for cable theft is three years.

Ngobese called on any person aware of another involved in illegal electrical connections to contact the electrical engineering services at 032 437 5088 or 060 900 3998.