MUNICIPAL workers illegally bypassing electricity was another burning issue that was discussed during the council meeting.
Cllr Jerry Sibiya said that there were currently 2500 people that were receiving free electricity in Vryheid because of these illegal bypasses.
“Basically what happens is that workers do not respond to the community’s electricity issues on time. When they eventually get there, they are in a rush and do not fix the problem properly, instead they will bypass electricity, make the resident pay them a certain fee and then give them a ‘happy letter’ that they should show to officials as to why they do not have a proper meter,” said Cllr Sibiya.
Cllr Sibiya went on to say that people were now damaging their meter boxes as they know that they will get these ‘happy letters’ and no longer have to pay for electricity.
“Our electricians are thieves!” Cllr Sibiya pointed out.
“They ruin electricity connections and make people pay for a cheap meter. When the next electrician comes in and sees that the resident’s electricity has been bridged, they make the resident pay them to fix the problem. All these people get salaries at the end of each month, mind you,” said Cllr Sibiya.
AbaQulusi Speaker, Michael Khumalo, urged councillors to inform community members of how the theft of electricity and water is affecting the town’s infrastructure.
