The heat is on for electricity thieves
Eskom is intensifying its anti-electricity theft campaign, Operation Khanyisa, in targeted hotspots in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West and the Free State this week.
According to the power utility, Operation Khanyisa has helped reduce Eskom's losses from 7.12 percent in 2013 to 6.43 percent in 2016, which translates into a saving of R1.4 billion every year in electricity that Eskom would have generated at a loss.
Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe says the theft of vending machines for prepaid meters is a big problem.
"The programme has been running for quite a while, but every now and again we do go out and reactivate, specifically in areas where we are having problems," Phasiwe said.
Eskom says Operation Khanyisa says apart from the assistance from law enforcement agencies, meter auditing and customer education and awareness will also be done.
"Putting electricity thieves out of business also means illegal connections are removed, which reduces the number of deaths of innocent people, particularly children, who get electrocuted," Head of Operation Khanyisa, Dileep John said.