Metro vows to fight illegal electricity connections in Soshanguve
It's important to protect critical infrastructure against vandalism and to hold guilty parties accountable.
Tshwane MMC for utilities and regional operations Themba Fosi has strongly condemned the increase in tampering with essential electricity infrastructure in Soshanguve.
Fosi noted that one household illegally powered several houses in Soshanguve Block X.
He said such acts were not only illegal, but also caused major disruption to the services residents rely on.
The household that connected the houses was burdening the electricity load, especially after load-shedding.
Fosi said it was important to protect critical infrastructure against vandalism and to hold guilty parties accountable.
He urged all residents to report any form of infrastructure tampering, vandalism, theft or illegal connection, because it disrupted the safe provision of electricity to ratepayers.
Fosi said all people who were connected illegally would be disconnected.
“This form of lawlessness is costing the city more money, which was supposed to be used to provide service delivery to ratepayers.”
He said the city would be initiating a drive to deal with illegal connections.
“We will be taking back the city through enforcing the law and making sure people get services they pay for.”
The MMC said he understood some areas didn’t have infrastructure and added that the city was doing its best to upgrade all those areas and provide electricity to those without.
Fosi condemned the illegal electricity connections in Block X.
“This trend is not good, as these live cables can cause injury or even death to children playing on the streets.”
Recently, Rekord reported that a team Tshwane on an oversight visit in Soshanguve had caught a person red-handed tampering with essential city electricity infrastructure.
The culprit was trying to connect electricity illegally from the city’s power grid in Tswaing Block F and was handed to the police.
Fosi said while he and city personnel were inspecting critical infrastructure in Soshanguve, they came upon an illegal electricity connection in Block F.
“The community member was connecting to our electrical grid without authorisation.”
He said the person had bought a transformer and was in the process of tapping into the infrastructure, when city personnel intervened.
“In adherence to the commitment to law and order, we promptly contacted Rietgat police, who subsequently arrested the suspect.”
Fosi urged residents to report any individual seen tampering with essential infrastructure to police or metro police.
[WATCH] Illegal electricity connections affecting power supply in Soshanguve. Latest incident in Block X. We need to stop this scourge immediately with community assistance. @CityTshwane pic.twitter.com/QIphjMqSYq
— Mayor Cilliers Brink (@tshwane_mayor) October 4, 2023
WATCH :
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