Illegal electricity connections by residents of a mushrooming informal settlement near East London Airport are giving a local businessman a headache.
Satish Nair, who has leased out his property to people working in the area, said his tenants often had power outages due to the illegal connections.
“I have reported the matter several times to the municipality and eventually they do come around to disconnect, but within minutes the informal dwellers reconnect,” he said.
“I have written letters to the mayor and others in the municipal electricity department, and have only received confirmation of receipt, but no valid responses.”
Nair said his plans to build on his land were being hampered because he could not access the back half of his property. “There are live wires from an electric pole going across our property. It is not safe to move around because they are everywhere.”
The Daily Dispatch visited Nair’s property on Monday and saw strands of wire hanging from poles and crossing his fence to Nkandla, the emerging informal settlement a stone’s throw away.
Nkandla resident Babalwa Vava said she and her partner were against illegal connections because of the safety of their child.
The couple moved into the settlement earlier this year when contract work her boyfriend had been busy with came to an end.
Nolambetha Mcono, 57, moved there last month to be closer to her daughter in Leaches Bay.
“I was living alone . Fortunately I’m used to living without electricity – I collect wood to cook and warm water. I am not comfortable with the way this electricity is coming,” she said.
Olona Kilili, 20, who moved from the other side of the Kei river last year in search of work, said she kept her nieces under lock and key because of the live wires.
“At night the wire becomes red and you see smoke. Sometimes it even burns the grass. We have to be so vigilant when we are outside.”
Area committee member Nothando Makisi said she was among the first to settle there after her husband lost his job.
“I have been waiting for a house since I applied at the Amalinda Forest settlement in 1994, but I am still on the housing waiting list.
“We had been living here without electricity until electricians offered their services to connect people with illegal electricity.”
BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi urged private property owners to report illegal electricity connections to the metro and also to open cases with the police.
“The metro has many times gone to areas where there are illegal electricians to disconnect them, our staff work under difficult conditions as they are often attacked, beaten, and seriously injured.”
Nkandla’s izinyoka cause headache
Satish Nair, who has leased out his property to people working in the area, said his tenants often had power outages due to the illegal connections.
“I have reported the matter several times to the municipality and eventually they do come around to disconnect, but within minutes the informal dwellers reconnect,” he said.
“I have written letters to the mayor and others in the municipal electricity department, and have only received confirmation of receipt, but no valid responses.”
Nair said his plans to build on his land were being hampered because he could not access the back half of his property. “There are live wires from an electric pole going across our property. It is not safe to move around because they are everywhere.”
The Daily Dispatch visited Nair’s property on Monday and saw strands of wire hanging from poles and crossing his fence to Nkandla, the emerging informal settlement a stone’s throw away.
Nkandla resident Babalwa Vava said she and her partner were against illegal connections because of the safety of their child.
The couple moved into the settlement earlier this year when contract work her boyfriend had been busy with came to an end.
Nolambetha Mcono, 57, moved there last month to be closer to her daughter in Leaches Bay.
“I was living alone . Fortunately I’m used to living without electricity – I collect wood to cook and warm water. I am not comfortable with the way this electricity is coming,” she said.
Olona Kilili, 20, who moved from the other side of the Kei river last year in search of work, said she kept her nieces under lock and key because of the live wires.
“At night the wire becomes red and you see smoke. Sometimes it even burns the grass. We have to be so vigilant when we are outside.”
Area committee member Nothando Makisi said she was among the first to settle there after her husband lost his job.
“I have been waiting for a house since I applied at the Amalinda Forest settlement in 1994, but I am still on the housing waiting list.
“We had been living here without electricity until electricians offered their services to connect people with illegal electricity.”
BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi urged private property owners to report illegal electricity connections to the metro and also to open cases with the police.
“The metro has many times gone to areas where there are illegal electricians to disconnect them, our staff work under difficult conditions as they are often attacked, beaten, and seriously injured.”
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