Eskom has confirmed that it will fit tamper-proof meters to township properties in an effort to curb electricity thefts that are costing it at least R1,2-billion in lost revenue. Residential customers account for 34% of the thefts while businesses, the industrial sector and agriculture accounts for the balance.
Eskom says that these “non-technical losses” account for about 1,5% of the electricity it generates. Non-technical losses include theft in various forms including illegal connections, meter tampering and non-payment for electricity used.
The utility says that it will be consulting with various communities about installing the tamper-proof “green boxes” and it confirmed that in Chiawelo – site of last weeks protest action from residents – where the project was piloted, payment levels had risen to 90%.
Eskom says that pre-paid meters provided a means of managing and controlling electricity theft, but did not solve the overall problem of people trying to steal electricity.
About 80% of Eskom’s residential customers are using pre-paid meters, but the company continued to lose revenue through meter tampering, illegal connections and “ghost vendors”.
Eskom first began removing illegal connections in Soweto and then moved its workforce to Tzaneen, but in both locations Eskom’s workers were attacked by members of the community who were opposed to the operations.
According to Eskom spokesman, Hillary Joffe, at least 10 people in Tzaneen were killed last year and so far this year a further six have died. She added that the illegal connections to the electricity grid destabilised the distribution networks and were the primary cause of over-loading, which led to power outages.
Soweto residents owed Eskom at least R3-billion at the end of 2010 and overall energy losses for the 2011 financial year amounted to 8,25% for the utility.
Readers' Comments Have a comment about this article? Email us now.
I do not live in the township, but it’s a grey suburban area anyway, I would love to have a pre-paid meter for my electricity. But the Joburg metro will not correct the mistake they made. - Deborah
A tamper-proof green box sounds great , however it does not matter what meter is installed if the consumers are connecting into the main cable and bypassing the meter in doing so. - Mark
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