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KwaDukuza Municipality in KZN has lost R100-million to illegal electricity connections

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The KwaDukuza Municipality in the north of Durban has lost R100 million in revenue in the past eight months due to illegal electricity connections and charging some businesses domestic rates instead of business rates.

The municipality says tampering with electricity meters and cable theft are some of the challenges it is facing.

Electricity income is the main contributor to the municipality’s revenue followed by property rates.

Spokesperson Sipho Mkhize says the municipality has started disconnecting all illegal users.

“Out of this hundred million, our focus should be on 50% of that which is around about R50 million of energy that was lost due to faulty meters, theft and people connecting themselves to our grid without our knowledge. We will be upgrading our system to a more digital and technology-friendly system where we will access each meter connected to our grid.”

Illegal connections claiming lives 

Illegal electrical connections have also claimed the lives of many.

In the Eastern Cape, electricity theft also costs the Buffalo City Metro millions of rands in revenue.

According to a statement issued by the metro back in 2020, non-technical losses which include illegal electricity connections account for approximately R228 million per year.

Two people were electrocuted in separate incidents in the Buffalo City Metro in January, as reported in the video below:

In another incident in January, a four-year-old boy was electrocuted when he touched a fence powered by a neighbour’s illegal connection.

More details in the report below: 

-Additional reporting by SABC News 

 

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