The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) welcomes the Ekurhuleni Metro’s decision to abolish the reconnection fee for stolen power cables – a significant victory for which the party fought long and hard.
However, the new process and requirements for cable replacement are unnecessarily time-consuming and may further inconvenience residents already affected by power outages.
On a positive note, these measures also aim to crack down on defaulters and those tampering with electricity meters.
To qualify for the service, residents need to:
• Report cable theft to the Metro’s Energy Department.
• Provide a reference number from the call centre.
• Submit a police statement and case number.
• Have a municipal account that is not in arrears or settle outstanding amounts first.
• Comply with certain verification processes for prepaid meters.
• Sign an indemnity form absolving the Metro of liability for losses or damages incurred during repairs.
Some of these requirements, particularly those related to submitting police statements, case numbers and signing an indemnity form, unnecessarily burden residents already bearing the consequences of cable theft.
Expecting victims to report theft of municipal infrastructure, document it, and then absolve the Metro of liability is unfair and unacceptable.
The Freedom Front Plus, furthermore, demands clarity on whether residents who previously paid unfair reconnection fees will be entitled to refunds or credits on their accounts if proof of such payments can be provided.
What is equally unclear is why businesses are excluded from this, seeing as cable theft affects all sectors.
No reason has been provided for this distinction, and the Freedom Front Plus calls on the Metro to fairly grant all affected taxpayers the same benefit.
Although the Freedom Front Plus is proud of successfully campaigning for the scrapping of the reconnection fee, the party remains concerned about the excessive bureaucratic requirements now imposed on residents.
The Metro should not replace one injustice with another. The Freedom Front Plus will keep fighting for fair, practical and accessible solutions that serve the people of Ekurhuleni.
