Cape Town - Repeated acts of vandalism and theft have led Eskom to a decision that it will no longer prioritise the replacement of equipment in affected areas.
This comes as Delft residents say they have been left in the dark following unending illegal connections from the Covid informal settlement for the past three years.
Eskom general manager of the Cape Coastal Cluster, Mbulelo Yedwa, said: “Eskom in the Western Cape has spent millions on replacing and repairing stolen and vandalised equipment and has taken the decision not to replace equipment if theft and vandalism continues to persist.
“Eskom has taken a strong stance against the theft and vandalism of infrastructure and illegal connections. In such cases, Eskom will first engage the community before repairing the network and restoring supply. Eskom will engage community leadership to set a date for the engagement to take place.”
“In the last financial year ending March 2024, Eskom in the Western Cape has incurred costs of approximately R96 million to repair the network due to theft and vandalism. The primary focus is on the improvement of basic service delivery and the completion of major infrastructure projects.”
“The repairing and replacement of vandalised equipment can occur once the main business objectives are prioritised,” he said.
Delft resident, Carmelita Abrahams, said their electricity was recently restored, but how long this would last before illegal connections took place again she did not know.
Community activist George Charles said: ”Eskom can meet with community leaders, but our hands are tied if police don’t respond to notifications on guys starting to vandalise or steal infrastructure, the response from SAPS is too slow.
“There are still a couple of streets in Leiden, Delft, where it is off and they are not looking at those streets because of the infrastructure that is missing.
“I do engage with Eskom when the power is off.
“This is because It is not always illegal connections that are to blame, but guys coming from other areas to steal infrastructure.”
marsha.dean@inl.co.za
Cape Argus