JOHANNESBURG - A farmer has been arrested for illegally reconnecting electricity in Randfontein.
Eskom technicians are disconnecting illegal power connections in farming areas on the West Rand.
Eskom's General Manager for group investigations and security, Tembela Kulu, has warned that those who are illegally connected will face the full might of the law.
"We can't have people consuming electricity without paying for electricity," Kulu said.
In the 2022/23 financial year, Eskom claimed it experienced non-technical losses of around R5 billion due to illegal connections, meter bypasses, and other electricity-related criminal activities within its supply area.
These illegal practices, according to Eskom plunges the power utility into further financial strain.
Additionally, it also affects the ability of Eskom to deliver on electricity supply to customers.
Kulu said there are mitigation plan to curb illegal connections, which includes the installation of smart meters.