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MOSSEL BAY NEWS AND VIDEO - Several members of the Asla Park community complained about the increasing and regular power cuts in their area, claiming that interruptions have almost become a way of life.
The residents who legally buy their electricity on a pre-paid system, say they regularly, especially after hours, have no electricity even though they pay for it.
It seems, however, from feedback received from the municipality that they only have the people stealing electricity to thank for their woes.
Apart from overextending the available electricity capacity, the use of flex and other inadequate extension leads to tap electricity exacerbates the problem.
With the least amount of moisture, be it from rain, these illegal connections trip the supply.
The Mossel Bay Municipality says the existing mini-substation and low voltage reticulation have sufficient capacity to cater for the formal houses in Dube Street. However, approximately 100 shacks were erected in the area over the past 18 months on a private property adjacent to Dube Street and are illegally connected to the municipal low voltage network along Dube Street.
The illegal connections have caused the existing circuit breakers to trip when overloaded during peak periods, thereby interrupting supplies to approximately 28 homes. The municipality has since increased capacity to the area, yet the problem seems to persist in parts of the affected area.
Disconnection operations are carried out with the assistance of the SA Police Services on an ongoing basis but many of the informal dwellings are reconnected immediately thereafter, making it difficult for the municipal electricity department to manage the situation.
Watch a video below.
As the informal dwellings are erected on private property they do not meet the national department of energy policy guidelines and will therefore not be electrified by the municipality.
Furthermore, due to the dangers involved, the municipal manager has issued a directive that municipal employees of the electricity department may no longer attend to after hours complaints in these areas.
The Mossel Bay Municipality says the existing mini-substation and low voltage reticulation have sufficient capacity to cater for the formal houses in Dube Street.
"Residents should remember that the user remains ultimately responsible. Should the user allow the illegal tapping of electricity the user is also responsible for any injuries that may result.
"We implore residents to report the illegal use of electricity to the municipality (044 606 5000)."
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