DATE OF SUBMISSION: 04 DECEMBER 2009
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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QUESTION 1589
QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY
1589. Mr S Motau (DA) to ask the Minister of Energy:
1. Whether any steps are being taken to reduce electricity theft and
illegal connection of electricity; if not, why not; if so, what are
the details?
2. Whether there is any cooperation between the department, Eskom and the
municipalities to reduce and prevent electricity theft; if not, why
not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Response
1. Yes, Eskom has an intensive energy losses management programme (ELMP)
in place to deal with non-technical losses such as electricity theft
and illegal connections.
The strategy aims to:
⢠arrest the energy losses trend
⢠establish acceptable level at which losses should be managed
as an inherent risk of the business
⢠manage the trend to that acceptable level
⢠improve current energy loss management practices
⢠ensure operational sustainability at an acceptable level of
energy losses
o Eskom conducts revenue protection audits, where customer
metering installations are inspected to detect theft or faults.
Where faults are found the meter is replaced and where tampering
(theft) is detected the customer is disconnected and will only
be reconnected after a tamper fee and reconnection fee is paid.
The tamper fee is increased for customers who are found to have
tampered with their meter more than once.
o In addition, Eskom has an annual target in place to audit 33% of
all Large Power Users and 20% of all other stakeholders each
year. Where illegal connections are detected, they are removed
because these do not only pose a revenue loss risk; they are
also a safety hazard.
o Eskom has and continues to invest in a public communications
campaign which is aimed at driving behavioural change. This
also influences the voluntary behaviour of consumers to use
electricity legally and by mobilising citizens to report and
prevent illegal connections. This builds and maintains good
relationships with key stakeholders to enable Eskom to implement
and drive the Energy Losses Management programme within
communities.
2. Yes Eskom is working very closely with the municipalities and
other stakeholders such as the AMEU, SARPA (South African
Revenue Protection Association), and Energy Efficiency NERT to
reduce energy losses.
This is done as a combined stakeholder engagement process in
terms of dialogue and negotiations.
In addition Eskom is working closely with the Department of
Energy and Department of Water and Environment on the Operation
Gcina Amanzi - a project to address the issues of basic services
such as water and electricity.
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