Following acts of sabotage to electricity infrastructure in Cape St Francis which saw this village bearing the brunt by having no electricity for the past two days, Kouga Municipality announced today it is now taking action to protect communities and prevent further damage to infrastructure.
These measures include upgrading informal settlements across the region, with funding secured from the Department of Human Settlements, plus re-launching a safety forum under mayor, Hattingh Bornman. The Department of Human Settlements has said Sea Vista will be included in next year’s business plan, allowing for vital infrastructure upgrades to ensure a safer power supply.
Efforts to tackle illegal connections will be a focus at a Safety Summit planned for October. “Illegal electrical connections are a severe threat to the safety of our communities and infrastructure,” Bornman said. “We are committed to combating this issue and minimising the damage it causes.”
The municipality says it is working with the SAPS to remove illegal connections and opening several cases against illegal connectors. This led to the SAPS deploying its Public Order Policing Unit (POPS) to assist with the removal of illegal connections.
In Sea Vista alone, illegal tampering with the network has led to regular power outages, costly repairs, and endangered municipal workers, the municipality says. Bornman reveals that some Kouga electrical staff have been shocked while performing their duties on multiple occasions and the safety of staff cannot be compromised.
The mayor says he has written the Minister of the Department of Public Works, Dean McPherson, to get permission to work on their property in Sea Vista to allow the municipality to legally connect residents to the grid. “Illegal connectors have even acquired the equipment necessary to tamper with high-voltage infrastructure – an incredibly dangerous and unlawful practice.”
The mayor says permanent legal residents have endured nightly power outages due to illegal tampering with the electrical network. The municipality has faced soaring expense to replace damaged circuit breakers and vandalism and infrastructure deterioration has worsened.
The municipality is also working to resolve problems with illegal connections in other areas like Ocean View, Kwanomzamo, NoR10, and Thornhill.
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Sounds like a reasonable response from the KM to secure more paying supply to the area and less electricity losses.
PWD seems to be game to assist, and hopefully, the Ward Councilor is on board and cooperating for a better communal solution.