THE CITY’S Electricity Unit is tackling the scourge of illegal connections, bypassed meters, and vandalism to infrastructure head on through Operation Khuculula. The Unit’s Revenue Protection branch decided to modify its core functions and establish a new working system, Operation Khuculula. 

Revenue Protection’s Acting Senior Manager Thulebona Memela said while sweep teams dispatched across the City were effective, they were not winning the war against this crime. “We decided through Operation Khuculula to merge teams from all regions then conduct major operations one area at a time, removing illegally connected cables and disconnecting by passed meters. Electricity theft is one of the biggest plagues the City’s facing and we owe it to all our residents to never concede,” said Memela. While electricity theft is scattered across the City, there are hotspot areas that will be at the top of Operation Khuculula’s list. 

These include Nazareth, Clermont, Mayville, Kwadabeka, Tshelimyama, Dassenhoek, Mpumalanga Township, KwaMashu,
Carletonville, Clare Estate, Verulam, oThongathi, La Mercy, Reddy Cliff, Phoenix, Ntuzuma, Emachobeni, Inanda, Kenville, Durban North, Amanzintoti, Queensburgh, Seaview, and Amaoti. Memela said the current operation seeks to uphold the City electricity supply by-laws where under prohibited acts, it states that no person shall tamper or interfere with any meter, supply or service main, main fuse or other electrical apparatus belonging to Council.

Beyond just reducing illegal connections, the operation also seeks to save lives. “Illegal electricity connections can be fatal. This can never be stressed enough but looking at the number of illegal cables that have been seized so far, it seems like communities still don’t understand that they are putting their lives in danger,” added Memela. Sibongakonke.Mbatha@durban.gov.za