Buffalo City Metro has accused residents of Igoda informal settlement in East London of stealing its electricity transformer.
Municipal workers allegedly found the transformer attached to a pole near the informal settlement.
When the workers attempted to remove it and take it back to the municipality, the residents allegedly tried to prevent them from doing so.
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya claimed that theft of the municipality's transformers was “a coordinated effort by this community to steal electricity”.
He said that stolen transformers were connected to the Eskom network for illegal electrical connections.
According to Ngwenya, a single transformer costs about R80,000.
He said: “This is the second time we have had a transformer stolen that we know of, but it's the first time in this area."
Ngwenya was adamant that law and order would prevail.
"It’s a serious setback because it denies us revenue and costs us in terms of replacement. It also affects maintenance of budgets and impacts negatively on communities who are denied the opportunity of accessing our services," he added.
EL residents accused of stealing BCM electricity transformer
Image: Sandiso Phaliso
Buffalo City Metro has accused residents of Igoda informal settlement in East London of stealing its electricity transformer.
Municipal workers allegedly found the transformer attached to a pole near the informal settlement.
When the workers attempted to remove it and take it back to the municipality, the residents allegedly tried to prevent them from doing so.
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya claimed that theft of the municipality's transformers was “a coordinated effort by this community to steal electricity”.
He said that stolen transformers were connected to the Eskom network for illegal electrical connections.
According to Ngwenya, a single transformer costs about R80,000.
He said: “This is the second time we have had a transformer stolen that we know of, but it's the first time in this area."
Ngwenya was adamant that law and order would prevail.
"It’s a serious setback because it denies us revenue and costs us in terms of replacement. It also affects maintenance of budgets and impacts negatively on communities who are denied the opportunity of accessing our services," he added.
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