Central SA
North West municipality launches Operation Zero Tampering─── 13:20 Sat, 11 Feb 2023
The North West-based City of Matlosana Local Municipality, which includes Klerksdorp and Orkney, launched Operation Zero Tampering.
The initiative focuses on businesses in the area that tampers with meter systems to avoid payments.
The intention is to recover lost revenue due to illegal electricity connections by businesses.
The municipality's electrical unit, led by Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) Fikile Mahlophe, visited businesses in the area.
Speaking to OFM News, Mahlophe said they have disconnected car dealerships, retail stores and rental flats that were found to have bridged the municipality's meter systems.
He indicated that the municipality is losing money as Eskom bills them for usage revenue that they are not able to collect due to tampering.
"For car dealerships and retailers we issued R30 000 fines, while for flats we fined them R10 000. This will include additional fees to re-install for them," explained Mahlophe.
OFM News previously reported that the municipality has made arrangements with Eskom to settle its debt.
Mahlophe says tampering causes high usage volumes. This results in the municipal system overloading and causes tripping, which affects the electricity in the area.
OFM News learned that businesses will be reconnected upon paying their fines, and their meter will now be re-installed outside their premises for frequent monitoring by the municipal electrical unit.
