In the future, the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) will take stringent action against cable thieves following last Thursday’s council decision that fines will be drastically increased at the end of the 2025/26 financial year.
At present, the EMPD’s minimum fine for cable theft is R2 500 and the FF Plus will propose that it be increased to R14 000, as in the Johannesburg Metro.
Presently, there is also no distinction between residential and registered business offences as regards tampering with power infrastructure.
The FF Plus will propose that higher fines be imposed on businesses that tamper with power meters to pay less for power than on ordinary residents.
The party will propose that the fine for a first residential offence be raised to R5 000. The fine for a business’s first offence should be increased to R10 000. The fine for the first offence of a business should be increased to R10 000.
Second residential offences should attract a fine of R20 000, while a fine of R30 000 should be imposed on businesses.
The final fine amounts still need to be determined.
This decision aims to curb the spike in illegal power connections and cable theft.
Illegal power theft is getting out of hand; a haphazard, self-erected mini-substation was discovered in Boksburg last Monday. It was used to transmit stolen electricity.
Such structures are unstable and not only pose a safety risk to people living nearby, but also to those who obtain power from it..
The FF Plus wants to encourage all residents to immediately report any illegal activities on the Metro’s My CoE app, by phoning the service centre on 0860 543 000 or sending an e-mail to Call.Centre@ekurhuleni.gov.za.
