ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS REMOVED IN GERMISTON

The City removed and confiscated an industrial 300-amp circuit breaker and tons of cables used for illegal connections at hijacked buildings in the Germiston CBD on Friday 2 August 2024.

Dangerous and illegally connected wires were removed by the city, and a leaking hydrant pipe that was illegally used as a tap was disconnected. 

The operation which was led by the MMC for Finance Ald Jongizizwe Dlabathi marked the relaunch of the Siyakhokha Siyathuthuka revenue enhancement campaign which is aimed at boosting the coffers of the city by ensuring that people understand the importance of paying for services as an enabler to a better life.

The campaign is also targeting defaulters, residents and businesses that steal water and electricity from the municipality – and this leg is called the Credit Control Outreach Program.

The City of Ekurhuleni is owed more than R65 million by businesses, residents and those running the hijacked buildings in the Germiston area alone. 

Yesterday, seven properties were disconnected, and five fines were issued to the owners of shops operating without the necessary paperwork from the city.

“The magnitude of the work that needs to be done in terms of this campaign is huge, especially in the area of Credit Control. Be that as it may, we are determined to go out every week scaling the whole of Ekurhuleni preaching the Siyakhokha gospel until we have won the battle,” says MMC Dlabathi adding ‘it is important that communities are reminded from time to time of the importance of payment of services and the impact that will have in bettering the bouquet of services offered by the city’.

He called on those who have means to pay for the services to do so.

“Those who are currently experiencing financial difficulties must come forward and make arrangements to settle these, ” he appeals.