Court orders BCM to act on electricity thieves

BUFFALO City Metro must act against Nkandla informal settlement dwellers, who have been stealing electricity from a private farm in Breezydale Road for the past two years.

This was ordered by the East London High Court in a victory for farm owner Satish Naire, who has been battling to get the BCM to protect him from the electricity thieves.

Naire claimed the illegal connections caused frequent power cuts on his farm and posed a danger to people and animals as the fencing was always live due to exposed wires coming into contact with it.

Naire said a woman from the settlement was killed after coming into contact with the live fencing.

On Tuesday, Judge Thembekile Malusi ordered the municipality to do all in its power to stop the residents from stealing electricity from Naire and to make sure all exposed wires on the farm were removed.

The municipality was also ordered to remove electricity poles and install a new electricity line that would be located inside the farm far away from the reach of the squatter camp.

Malusi also ordered BCM to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the farm.

In court papers, Naire argued that his fence had become a danger since uninsulated live wires were touching it thanks to the thieves.

Acting municipal manager Nceba Ncunyana said the municipality had not seen the order.

“We obviously take action in removing illegal electricity connections on a regular basis and do what is reasonable in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act to make our network safe.

“BCMM has done all they can [in] removing the illegal connections but cannot be held responsible for illegal actions of the community. The legal action should have been taken against the people making the illegal connections.”

She said BCM has a revenue protection unit, which acts against illegal connections on a daily basis. —