GEORGE NEWS - Residents of formal housing in Zone 8, Thembalethu, are up in arms about illegal electricity connections made by residents of informal settlements in the area, practically threatening with war. They say that they sometimes go for days without electricity due to power failures caused by the illegal connections.

This after a group of people from the area who are said to be living in formal houses, gathered at the George Municipality on Friday 10 May to voice their concerns about illegal electricity connections caused by Mandela Village informal settlement residents.

Mfundo Nkomombhini, the spokesperson of the group, said they want the municipality to remove the illegal cables because they are making their lives difficult. 

"This has created tension between these settlements, and by the looks of things a war between us is inevitable. We ask the municipality to please address this as a matter of emergency before we start fighting with each other," he said.

Solution needed for all
Nkomombhini said they have also met with the informal settlement residents in Mandela Village, and found that overloading is the main cause of power cuts in the formal settlements. However, nothing was done to implement a solution to this matter. 

"We don't want to find a solution for one party but for all residents, be they from the formal or informal settlement."

Chantel Edwards-Klose, municipal communications officer, said the George Municipality is aware of the problems surrounding illegal electricity connections and met with a group of citizens from Zone 8 last week on this regard. 

"The illegal connections are removed in various areas of George on a continuous basis and our electrotechnical department will continue these actions. The George electrotechnical department however cannot work in isolation and has been in discussions with a number of stakeholders to address the issue, including the Southern African Revenue Protection Association (Sarpa), which is an active and leading participant in the coordination of policing and other preventative actions, assisting with the combating of infrastructure theft," she said.

Danger
According to Edwards-Klose, the municipality continues to educate those making the illegal connections about the extreme danger of their actions. She stressed that making an illegal connection puts the perpetrator in danger of electrocution, which could lead to injury and death. But it also endangers the rest of the community. 

These connections lie across pathways and walkways where anyone passing can easily be electrocuted. Another danger is that illegally connected wires can make contact with other items such as roofs, gutters and washing lines, which could conduct electricity and cause electrocution of anybody that touches them.

"Where people have connected themselves illegally, George Municipality will continue to actively find the perpetrators and lay criminal charges against them. In terms of the Criminal Procedures Act, interference with and the damage to municipal property could be regarded as sabotage and, should someone be found guilty of such an offence, a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years can follow," said Edwards-Klose.

Illegal connections can be reported on 044 803 9222 or 044 801 9222 or after hours on 044 801 6300.

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