Power theft big concern
THE Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) is set to “rezone” the properties of people sub-letting their homes to foreign nationals for business purposes with the affected municipal accounts to reflect that of an operating business from June 1.
This was announced by ANC ward councillor Mncedisi Mbengo last Thursday during a community meeting at the Mzi Skweyiya Hall in Mlungisi.
The meeting was held for community members to express their grievances regarding service delivery matters and to come up with ways to assist the municipality in addressing related challenges.
Addressing members of the community, Mbengo said the municipality was faced with the problem of people and businesses stealing municipal electricity, which had a negative impact on the local authority and which was causing an increase in the already heightened Eskom debt.
“This is a serious issue that is also delaying service delivery because municipal money has to be focused on paying the Eskom debt.
“There are many households in the township which steal electricity and I urge them to come forward before June 1 to make an arrangement with the municipality on how they can pay back what they owe.
“If there are people who cannot pay due to unemployment or poverty, the municipality has grants for such people – they just need to come forward and stop electricity theft.”
Mbengo also indicated that people sub-letting to foreign nationals to operate businesses on their domestic properties would have their homes rezoned by June 1 and would be charged business rates for services by the municipality.
He said it had been found that it was often the case that businesses being run from homes were guilty of stealing electricity and that transgressors would have to pay.
He said the owners of such houses were making money and could thus afford to pay for services.
EMLM mayor Sisisi Tolashe was expected to attended the meeting where she would address some of the matters raised by community members.
During the meeting, Mbengo announced that Tolashe would not be able to attend due to a mayoral committee meeting, which prompted a walkout by a group of residents in protest against the mayor’s absence.
Community member Lusanda Mahashe said the municipality did not take them seriously by not attending the meeting and that people had attended because they were promised that Tolashe would be there.
“It is sad that the mayor, who is originally from this township, will fail to come and listen to the people. We are not being taken seriously. The electricity theft issue is major, but since we are being ignored, we will also ignore the June 1 threat until someone comes to listen to us.
“Some of us pay for services we do not even get. I do not blame the people for stealing electricity. We will not ask the municipality to come and listen to our grievances again, we will do as we see fit and continue with our way of life.”
EMLM communications officer Gcobani Msindwana said the local authority’s council had a revenue enhancement policy which stipulated that consumers who stole electricity or made illegal connections would be disconnected and their electricity boards taken away until such time the perpetrator paid the stipulated fine for reconnection.
“We encourage communities to consult their respective ward councillors for assistance with their accounts and also to enquire whether they qualify to be registered in the municipality's indigent database. We also urge residents to refrain from illegally connecting electricity and come forward with the names of those who are stealing power.”
Msindwana said customers could visit the municipal offices in Owen Street in Komani, and also the offices in Whittlesea, Tarkastad,