Stricter measures to curb electricity theft in uMngeni
uMngeni Local Municipality says it's working on measures to prevent the growing incidents of electricity theft.
Theft of power has cost the municipality nearly R20 million rand over the past seven months alone.
Mayor Chris Pappas says this translates to some R40 million rand over a full financial period.
"So we're looking around R40m losses every financial year and that's not money that we get from national government or any sort of grant. We have to recuperate that internally. Eskom sends us the bill and we must pay. That R40m could be used for service delivery. That's roads, that's public parks, that's all the sort of things that the municipality should be doing.”
He says they now have no choice but to take serious measures.
"We are increasing the rigger that we are tackling this issue. Its not a popular thing to do but unfortunately we can't keep losing R40m at the expense of basic services and infrastructure that we are supposed to deliver."
