- Eskom is experiencing an increasing number of repeated equipment failures in some areas especially within Gauteng.
- This is primarily due to illegal connections leading to overloading which results in failure of transformers and mini-substations.
- This is exacerbated by meter tampering, electricity theft and vandalism of infrastructure.
- This has prompted the utility to take the decision not restore power to areas that have repeated failures due to illegal connections, meter tampering and bypassing.
Eskom has stressed that increased equipment failure has a significant negative impact on their operations, finances and safety of our employees and the public.
Against this background, Eskom has taken a decision that it will not be restoring power to areas that have repeated failures due to illegal connections, meter tampering and bypassing. Eskom will only restore supply to legal and paying customers in the areas, on condition that the community allows safe access to Eskom staff to conduct audits and remove illegal connections.
“”If we do not conduct the audits, we run the risk of continued failures without dealing with the root cause. In some areas, Eskom technicians have not been allowed to conduct these audits which result in repeated failures of equipment making power restoration a wasteful exercise”, the utility announced in a press release.
This decision comes after extensive customer and various stakeholder engagements across the Gauteng province, aimed at resolving issues related to electricity services.
“Eskom will continue to engage with councillors in all affected areas to deal adequately with these issues. Furthermore, Eskom would like to affirm its commitment to collaborate and engage with various communities to find solutions so that we can resume with our services. I thank and applaud paying customers for their continued commitment to paying for the services that they use,” Group Executive for Distribution Monde Bala says.
Eskom appeals to communities to report illegal connections and meter tampering including when Eskom employees are involved. The Eskom crime line number is 0800 11 27 22.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
1 Comment
Eskom Eastern Cape is doing nothing about reported illegal conections. ive reported and requested that that eskom does a house to house investigations and disconnect all illegal conection and arrest those culprits with those connecting them . Up to now ive lost almost all my appliences due to electronical shock as result of these people because theyre forcing the power on everytime it trips by them it trips the whole area and our apliences get burnt in the process please do something .