Central resident arrested for illegal electricity connection
The resident has been charged with tampering with municipal infrastructure and theft of electricity.
A Pretoria Central resident was arrested on May 3 for illegally reconnecting electricity supply after it had been cut off for nonpayment during at TshwaneYaTima campaign.
The resident was charged with tampering with municipal infrastructure and electricity theft.
Since the TshwaneYaTima campaign was intensified this year to recover funds residents owe to the metro, there have been numerous arrests.
Two Garsfontein home owners and a former Tshwane contractor were arrested in April while a case was opened against a Centurion shopping centre in March for tampering with municipal infrastructure and theft of electricity.
“TshwaneYaTima is in full force and we have added teams who are doing meter orders. Just last week 172 fines were issued to residents who have tampered with or bridged their meters. Looting and corruption got us to where we are and we’re asking for residents to work with us. Thank you to those who have paid their accounts and to those who have not settled their accounts, please do so, alternatively, make a payment arrangement or apply for debt relief,” said MMC for finance Jaccqui Uys.
From April 29 to May 5, 1 174 meters were audited and 172 found to have been bridged. Fines worth R4.7-million were issued. The metro said it has implemented a protocol to arrest and criminally charge residents found to be tampering with metro infrastructure.
“Tshwane Ya Tima is continuing to disconnect residents, businesses and government institutions in arrears. In addition, the campaign is actively focusing on auditing electricity and water meters to find bridged ones or properties with straight connections,” Uys added.
Residents who are struggling financially are encouraged to apply for a portion of their historical debt written off.
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