Cape Town - Illegal electricity connections and vandalism have cost the City of Cape Town R2.5 million in just three months.
This while the City spent R50m on repairing and replacing damaged electricity infrastructure in the 2021/22 financial year.
The City said it recorded 230 incidents of electricity vandalism and illegal connections in the last quarter of 2022.
The metro’s Area North was the worst affected between October and December, with the Mowbray and Gugulethu districts being especially most affected.
“The City has attended to hundreds of faults in recent months and disconnects illegal connections to City infrastructure across the metro on a regular basis,” the City said.
Mayco Member for Energy, Beverley van Reenen, said more than R50m was spent on repairing and replacing damaged electricity infrastructure in areas across the metro in the 2021/22 financial year.
“The City has embarked on enhanced initiatives, including earmarking approximately R40m to help curb and prevent vandalism of critical energy infrastructure in communities.
“This is part of the approved 2022/23 budget, which came into effect on July 1, 2022.
“In the 2021/22 financial year, more than R50m was spent on repairing and replacing damaged electricity infrastructure in areas across the metro.
“Illegal connections and damage to electricity infrastructure continue to be a challenge in the city, as they often result in constant electricity outages in affected areas, both City and Eskom-supplied.
“We cannot allow this criminality to continue. Repairs of the same vandalised infrastructure is not feasible, places pressure on City resources and negatively impacts our residents.
“Criminals have seemingly taken advantage of Eskom’s near constant load-shedding over recent months to strike under the cover of darkness,” Van Reenen said.
The City is offering a reward of R5 000 to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest, confiscation of stolen or illegal goods or the handing-in of illegal or stolen goods.
“This reward is also applicable to information leading to the arrest of people vandalising, damaging or stealing electricity infrastructure or installing illegal connections. We call on communities across the metro to work with us to help protect electricity infrastructure,” Van Reenen said.
Report damage to municipal electrical infrastructure:
• SMS: 31220
Call: 0800 1100 77.
Cape Times