Two east women arrested for illegally reconnecting electricity
The property was disconnected due to non-payment of municipal services, including electricity of nearly R300 000.
Residents are being urged to halt acts of corruption after two were arrested for illegally reconnecting electricity in Garsfontein, Pretoria East on April 12.
The arrests were confirmed by police after Tshwane had reported the matter to law enforcement.
Police spokesperson Warrant-Officer Dwayne Lightfoot said: “We can confirm this case. Two women were arrested for illegal connection and tampering with infrastructure.”
The metro had disconnected their electricity during a TshwaneYaTima operation on April 8 due to non-payment of municipal bills, including for electricity for nearly R300 000.
According to Tshwane finance MMC Jacqui Uys, the household last made a payment in 2020.
“This is unacceptable as we all have a responsibility to pay for what we consume.
The arrest of the occupants of the property followed a tip-off from a resident who suspected an illegal connection and approached the metro with credible information and evidence that led to authorities taking action,” said Uys.
She said credit goes the resident who raised the alarm.
“We need active citizenry to fight crime and all forms of illegal connections.
It is important to note that our #TshwaneYaTima revenue collection campaign is here to stay.
The campaign seeks to disconnect services to defaulting clients who run up high service bills and fail to pay the metro,” said Uys.
According to the metro, its debtor’s book has inflated by R6-billion from R17-billion in 2021 to the current R23.3-billion, with the majority of defaulters increasingly being residential property owners,
The Tshwane Ya Tima operation targets all debtors, including residents, businesses, and government departments that owe the metro.
Uys said residents who are struggling to keep up with their accounts are encouraged to approach the municipality to make payment arrangements such as applying to the affordability committee.
She urged residents not to be part of corruption.
As of March 2023, the Tshwane debt spread was:
– Residential: over R10-billion
– Business: over R5.2-billion
– Inactive: over R1-billion
– Indigents: over R1-billion
– Government: over R974-million
– Sundries: over R888-million
– Interdepartmental: over R29-million
– Employees: over R26-million
– Embassies: over R7.2-million
– Councillors: over R2.9-million
The total debt stood at more than R20-billion.
In less than a year, the debt has grown by over R2-billion, with residential owners contributing 55%, business 22% and government 3% of the R23.3-billion debt.
But councillors, embassies, inter-departmental institutions and employees have since reduce their arrears.
Tshwane however planned to collect about R6.2-billion of the R23.3-billion over the next six months by reactivating the Tshwane Ya Tima campaign after it missed its 95% collections target for four months.
In September last year, only 82% of the revenue target was achieved, in October 93%, in November 86% and 92% in December.
The recently hatched plan is a bid to rescue Tshwane that is drowning in debt, especially after its failure to service Eskom invoices, which amount to R3.8-billion.
According to this plan, Tshwane will reduce its expenditure a month for the next six months by R1-billion.
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