‘Illegal contractor’ connecting Northern Cape and North West residents to the electricity grid

Eskom disconnected homes that were illegally connected to the grid in the Northern Cape this week.

On Friday, the power utility and police embarked on a joint operation and discovered illegal connections were rife. An illegal “contractor” was charging Northern Cape and North West residents up to R3,000 to provide them with electricity.

“A disruptive operation was conducted in conjunction of security intelligence, Kimberley public order police and Eskom, focusing on illegal electricity connections,” said Sgt Dikeledi Gopane, the provincial police spokesperson.

“Cables were disconnected in 21 houses, of which homeowners paid R3,000 each for this illegal connection to the contractor who is alleged to be busy with the same illegal electrification process in Tlapeng Village in North West jurisdiction.”

Gopane said poles and other equipment worth R150,000 were confiscated.

“A case docket has been opened and investigation is currently under way to address the suspect responsible for the illegal connection.”

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