Residents of an informal settlement in Delft who have been illegally connecting to the electricity supply have had their connections severed.
A operation by Eskom, Law Enforcement, and SAPS officials on illegal electricity connections was carried out on Tuesday.
Eskom teams disconnected 100 illegal cables across four transformer zones, affecting five streets in the Tsunami informal settlement in Delft.
Promise Ntuli, Senior Maintenance and Operations Management Manager for Eskom in the Western Cape, warned that illegal connections can result in serious consequences.
“These hazardous actions frequently lead to serious injuries among innocent children, who face the risk of electrocution,” Ntuli said.
A 39-year-old resident who asked to remain anonymous blamed the owners of the newly built double-storey flats.
“Some households reportedly pay between R100 and R200 to Eskom workers to restore their power, only to have it disconnected again the following day.
“I report illegal connections, but they merely check the box without inspecting the poles,” he said.
The resident said that it's easy to spot those who are illegally connected because their lights are on the entire day.
“Despite reporting issues through the Alfred chat box, they claimed that Eskom merely replaces breakers and fuses without addressing the underlying problems,” he said.
Wayne Dyason, spokesperson for the City’s Law Enforcement, confirmed LEAP officers were working with Eskom and other entities.
Last week, Eskom suspended operations in Makhaza, Khayelitsha following an incident in which employees were robbed of their personal belongings and service vehicle at gunpoint.
Mbulelo Yedwa, General Manager of Eskom’s Cape Coastal Cluster, said: “The safety of our employees is paramount, and should any incidents of violence or harassment persist, we will redirect our focus to other areas where their safety can be assured.”
Eskom urges customers to report any criminal activities to the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 11 27 22 or by sending an SMS to 32211.