Police and municipal law enforcement personal accompanied the electrical work team to an informal settlement where illegal electrical connections had been detected two weeks ago. As the municipal officials started removing the illegal connections a crowd gathered and progressively showed their anger.
They demanded electricity claiming that they vote every five years and get nothing in return. As a precautionary measure, the municipality officials withdrew from the area after completing the task in the predetermined area. Individuals in the crowd became enraged and started abusing the officials and banging their fists on the municipal vehicles.
Lieutenant Heyns of the Thembahlethu Police confirmed that a crowd of between 120 and 150 people had gathered outside the house of Mr Sigamla, an official in the electrical department who had been part of the operation. The crowd had demanded electricity, but dispersed peacefully. “The windows at his home were smashed and the family has been relocated for their own protection.”
Suliwe Thanda, ANC councillor for Ward 21 says she will raise the issue of electricity for the informal areas again through the correct channels in council. “If Cape Town and Plettenberg Bay can supply electricity to their informal areas why can’t George do the same?”
Kevin Grünewald, director of Electro-technical Services says he is very worried about this development as the illegal connections are not from the electricity grid but from the street light supply, which by its nature is a low voltage and wattage line. “These connections are extremely dangerous as they are using fencing wire (bloudraad), which is a poor conductor of electricity. The wire gets extremely hot and can melt which could result in it uncoupling from the overhead lines and falling onto the shacks causing fires. Officials picked up live electrical wires that were lying on the ground. Luckily we do not think that anyone touched it as nothing was reported to us. The cost in lost revenue in rand terms is minimal. It was purely a safety issue that we had to address.”
A technician from the electrical department reported that an illegal bypass was fitted to the bundle connectors. This ensured a 24 hour supply of electricity to the street lights which would normally turn off during daylight hours. This meant that the illegal connections were live day and night.
Lighting for the informal areas was requested by residents as a deterrent against crime in the area. In many areas council has erected a streetlight pole with four streetlight fittings on the mast. This gives a good spread of light in the area.
Grünewald said that the person or persons that are doing the illegal connections are definitely schooled in electrical connections as the connectors, although fashioned out of fencing wire, is of a high and consistent standard.
The George Herald has ascertained that four residents admitted to paying R20 to an unknown person for the illegal connections.
Overhead electrical 'bloudraad' or fencing wire in the informal areas.
ARTICLE: MYRON RABINOWITZ
'We bring you the latest George | Garden Route news'
