Ramokgopa vows to continue clampdown on illegal connections
Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has warned that law enforcement will continue to clamp down on illegal connections.
Ramokgopa says illegal connections are putting a lot of strain on Eskom's infrastructure.
The minister spoke on Sunday during his weekly update on the Energy Action Plan.
He said illegal connections lead to increased unplanned power outages due to infrastructure failure.
"People are not paying for consumption. Illegal connections are overburdening the infrastructure, and that is why we are seeing an increased rate of failure.”
Ramokgopa said paying customers, the disadvantaged, and law-abiding businesses are the ones who bear the brunt.
"Izinyoka places a significant burden on infrastructure. The infrastructure fails. The major casualties are the good, paying residents, the poor and industries that are not able to produce. As a result, some industries consider relocation or closing as a result of failing infrastructure".
"People will migrate to areas of opportunity. The municipality's revenue base is going to be eroded. Therefore, it will become financially unviable. The point I am trying to make is that this has significant implications, and we are trying to address that," said Ramokgopa.
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