Tshwane metro increases fines for illegal connections
“We have increased the fines for illegal connections and electricity theft to R10-million for business accounts. Individual or household accounts are only fined R200 000.”
Businesses can now be fined as much as R10-million for illegal connections and electricity theft in Tshwane, while households will cough up R200 000.
This was announced on Friday as finance MMC Peter Sutton tabled his budget speech.
Sutton said electricity theft was costing the metro an estimated R470-million per year.
“This is money taken away from service delivery by individuals and business-owners in Tshwane through pure arrogance and entitlement,” said Sutton.
Previously, anyone caught with illegal connections would have been fined around R600 000.
“We have increased the fines for illegal connections and electricity theft to R10-million for business accounts. Individual or household accounts are only fined R200 000.”
Sutton said the metro would also look into laying criminal charges to pursue lost revenue.
“We will establish a highly skilled multidisciplinary revenue-collection team for this purpose, to which we allocated R68-million in this budget.
“If you are an individual and/or business owner involved in electricity theft and tampering with prepaid meters, you should become very concerned.”
Sutton said the #TshwaneYaTima campaign would continue in the metro until its debtor’s book was under control.
“Over the next month, we will increase the scope of the campaign as well as our zero-tolerance approach to non-payment and electricity theft.”
To root out electricity theft, the metro would announce an amnesty period of one month.
He said the guilty parties could apply for amnesty to be exempted from prosecution and fines.
The full details will be announced in June 2022.
“This amnesty period will be run in partnership with law enforcement agencies. I strongly suggest that those guilty use this once-off opportunity before we start finding you.”
ALSO READ: Centurion businesses at worst end of stick due to sewage spillage
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
