DEAR Editor,-
In recent years, South Africa has been experiencing chronic electricity blackouts. This comes after Eskom’s failure to deliver sufficient energy supply.
The DA is concerned about some of the factors that contribute to power supply interruptions. These factors include cable theft, illegal connections and the mushrooming of scrapyard centres who buy stolen cable and other copper components.
I will submit parliamentary questions to Dan Plato, the Minister of Community Safety in the Western Cape, to inquire about measures that are in place to deal with the constant theft of cables, as well as illegal electricity connections. I will also inquire about those scrapyards who contribute to the stealing of cables, specifically regarding what measures are in place to curb the trade of illegally-acquired goods.
The City of Cape Town Electricity Services Director, Les Rencontre, briefed the City Council’s Portfolio Committee on Utility Services about how the city had lost more than R140 million during the last financial year as a result of theft and illegal connections. As such, we urge community members to report cable theft, illegal connections and scrapyards who deal in these illegally-obtained goods.
Constant cable theft has a negative impact on the provincial economy as businesses are left without power and people are delayed from their jobs. The cost to repair power lines runs into the millions each year and these are funds that could be better spent improving services delivered.
Although policing is a national competency, we must work together to ensure that we curb interruptions to the energy supply related to acts of crime.
NCEBA HINANA MPP
Chairman Standing Committee on Petitions in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament
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