The FF Plus in the Mbombela Local Municipality (Mbombela/Nelspruit, Barberton, Hazyview, Kaapschehoop, Skukuza, White River) is strongly opposed to imposing a fine of just R500 on persons who tampered with a municipal power meter as a first offence.
At present, Mbombela owes Eskom approximately R1,4 billion. Eskom’s decision to supply only the minimum required amount of power to municipalities with overdue accounts is unfairly punishing residents who loyally pay their bills by failing to take more stringent action against power thieves.
Although the abovementioned debt is not due to power theft alone, it does play a significant role.
A progress report on a local power meter audit, which was tabled in the council in May, found that about 1 200 fines had been issued to residents who tampered with power meters. The audit process is still underway.
These findings raise serious concerns. So far, the Municipality has done nothing to increase the fines in the regulations to deter power thieves.
This section 8 fine makes no distinction between residential offenders and registered business enterprises that tamper with power infrastructure.
Businesses that tamper with power meters to pay less for power should be subjected to more stringent fines or a longer prison sentence.
At present, a second offence is only punishable by six months in prison or a R5 000 fine.
The FF Plus will table a motion in September requesting that the fine for first-time residential offenders should be increased to R5 000. The fine for the first offence of a business should be increased to R10 000.
The motion will also demand that residential offenders who are guilty of a second offence should be fined with R20 000 and businesses with R30 000.
The FF Plus will continue to put pressure on the Mbombela Municipality until the systems needed to totally eradicate power theft and tampering with power meters have been put in place.
