Businesses deny electricity theft
R78 165 paid for tampering, but more shocks in store
FINES of R78 165 for “tampering” with Buffalo City Metro (BCM) electricity infrastructure have been paid by Abbotsford Arms and Nahoon Arms owners, but a much larger bill is being worked out to pay for the electricity which was stolen.
It could run to hundreds of thousands, a source close to the business said.
This week Mike Osner’s attorney Russell Linde drew a strict distinction between tampering and theft.
He said his clients had rearranged their wiring on the business’ side of the meter and not on BCM’s side.
In December, the Daily Dispatch reported that BCM inspectors discovered that Osner and partners had been using an illegal or izinyoka connection at Nahoon Arms, Abbotsford Arms and Pedro’s Pizza. At the time, Osner denied it saying: “It must have been a previous tenant.”
Last week, BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi, told the Dispatch: “All fines and penalties have been paid for in full”. However, he said a bill was being prepared for “back-dated charges” for the use of electricity for “each account”.
BCM provided three payment advice forms which showed that the pub owners paid fines of: ● R23 614 for Nahoon Arms; ● R23 614 for Abbotsford Arms; ● R23 614 for a second meter serving Abbotsford Arms which owns Pedro’s Pizza nearby; and
● R7 323 for a flat at Abbotsford Arms. Cindi said it was also illegal for Nahoon Arms to draw power from its neighbouring business, Urban Junction, which is owned by the same group.
“No, it is not legal and in fact, this was brought to our attention and BCM disconnected the illegal lead and warned the other business [Urban Junction] that they would be disconnected if the illegal lead was not removed. This instruction was complied with.”
BCM’s head of infrastructure services, Luyanda Mbula, reported to council recently that the metro was losing R15-million a month to electricity theft.
He pointed out both Osner’s Nahoon Arms and Abbotsford Arms Pub and Pedro’s Pizza were found during a raid to have illegal connections.
Former Nahoon Arms barman Nate McArthur said that after BCM cut electricity to Nahoon Arms, the owners had men run two cables into Urban Junction.
Linde denied that Nahoon Arms “hot wired” Urban Junction. “They are in possession of electrical certificates for Nahoon Arms and Urban Junction,” he said last week.—