Illegal connections leads to upsurge in Redcliffe power outages

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Durban - eThekwini Municipality says a syndicate might be operating in Redcliffe, near oThongathi, where land invaders have connected their homes to the electricity grid illegally. According to councillor Pete Graham, people had been invading land in the area for the past 10 years. He said residents in Redcliffe often experienced power cuts due to land invaders “professionally” connecting their homes to the grid using a stolen 11kVa transformer. “They’ve wired their homes to the system. They’re using street poles, and have placed them in their yards and strung stolen cable (across them). To a layperson passing by, it would look like a messy corporation job, but it’s a completely illegal set-up.” Graham said this created an imbalance in the grid affecting residents in a large area.

“There’s no way that this could have gone on for so long without being detected.”

Land invaders used “complicated” electrical equipment ordinary residents could not buy from retailers.

Ward 60 councillor Fakazi Mdletshe said that he had reported the illegal connections in the area several times.

Mdletshe said when he assumed office five years ago, land invasions were taking place and illegal connections had been made.

He said he intervened, and some landowners had agreed to sell their land to the invaders, while others refused. “I engaged with the municipality and they are in the process of formally supplying electricity to those houses... We are going to address this matter.”

Municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela confirmed that the city was aware of the situation. “It is suspected that an alleged syndicate is operating in the area. The matter is being investigated internally.”

Meanwhile, at the weekend, a young boy who was playing with friends at the Umbilo River near an informal settlement in Bellair was electrocuted when coming into contact with an exposed electricity cable.

Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said a search-and-rescue team and other role-players were called to the area where the boy’s body was found in a river canal.

Ward 65 councillor Samantha Windvogel said the boy was playing with six other children when he was electrocuted, and the exposed cable was in the water.

“Its really sad because this actually cost a young child his life. The mother is ‘out of it’ and cannot cope,” she said.

She said the child had been described as “active and very bubbly”.

Windvogel said she was concerned about the well-being of the children who witnessed their friend’s death, and appealed to their parents to arrange counselling for them. “We need to know as parents where our children are going and inform them of the dangers. It’s very important for us to know where our kids are.”

Illegal connections in informal settlements was a problem across the country, she said.

“The problem is, we have it (illegal connection) logged, it’s reported and the electricity department comes and disconnects, and then an hour after that, they reconnect,” Windvogel said.

In 2014, a suspected cable thief and a metro police dog were electrocuted during a chase in Bellair.

Mayisela said a team had been dispatched to investigate the boy’s electrocution further.

“Electrification projects are prioritised to curb illegal connections, which lead to a number of tragedies.”

Police in Bellair had opened an inquest docket.

The Mercury