KZN communities face mass disconnections as Eskom removes illegal supplies

Eskom has begun a major operation in KwaZulu-Natal to disconnect illegal electricity supplies, warning that households with unauthorised connections across the province will soon be cut off. Over Wednesday and Thursday the utility removed transformers and cables used to steal power in Lion Park outside Pietermaritzburg, following a similar operation in March at Hardingsdale Farm, also known as Claridge.

Raid on Lion Park and follow-up operations

Technicians on Wednesday confiscated loads of transformers and cables in Lion Park after residents attempted to block the road to prevent Eskom and police from carrying out a Pietermaritzburg High Court order to disconnect the illegal supply.

Eskom said the operation in Lion Park followed an earlier disconnection at Claridge in March. The utility warned: “Similar operations will be carried out throughout the province in areas rife with illegal connections.”

Scale and financial impact cited by Eskom

Eskom said electricity had been illegally connected to households in Lion Park that have grown to over 1,400 over the past 12 years. The utility estimated that those unauthorised connections result in revenue losses exceeding R14 million per year in that area.

According to Eskom’s Senior Manager for Customer Services, Dadewabo Mbhele, intelligence teams are identifying villages with illegal connections. Mbhele told the media in Lion Park:

“We are planning to also go to the other areas, as in other provinces, you would have seen us disconnecting, for instance, farmers who have been connecting illegally for a very long time. We are working with intelligence to have a look at where these areas are where we are losing energy, so that we can make a network safe for the customers that pay us.”

The utility also noted that in March it estimated losses of approximately R6 billion annually due to illegal connections.

Safety, legality and the response

Eskom said it has a legal obligation under its electricity distribution licence and the NRS 048 Code to remove illegal connections and protect the safety and reliability of the network. The utility warned that illegal connections place significant strain on the electricity network, increase the risk of outages, and pose serious safety hazards to communities.

Eskom quoted its chairperson, Dr Mteto Nyati, as saying:

“Non-payment by municipalities and customers isn’t just a financial issue – it is holding back our nation’s progress, investment, and prosperity. We have made significant strides in stabilising the grid, but sustainable success demands collective responsibility. When we all pay what we owe, we power a stronger, more reliable South Africa for every citizen and business,”

followed in the statement by a line attributing the quote to Nyathi.

On protecting infrastructure, Eskom’s Group Investigations and Security General Manager, Tembela Kulu, said:

“Our teams will continue to support the audit and removal of illegal connections to safeguard Eskom’s assets, protect the integrity of the electricity network, and safeguard our employees’ safety.”

Eskom warned that while identifying and removing illegal connections is costly, they are a risk to human life, potentially leading to electrocutions, fires and damage to critical infrastructure.

Community impact and measures

During the earlier operation at Claridge, some residents who can afford legal electricity said they had struggled to convince Eskom to connect them because their land is zoned agricultural rather than residential, Eskom said.

After the Claridge disconnection, some residents installed solar panels to maintain household electricity.

Eskom’s Industry and Stakeholder Management Manager, Joyce Zingoni, said the combination of disconnections, community engagements and smart meter installations is producing positive results. Zingoni was quoted:

“We will keep executing these activities for the protection of our infrastructure, as long as there are illegal connections and tampering with our network. We will continue to raise awareness, educate communities, change the culture, and continue removing illegal connections.”

Legal challenge and reporting channels

The Lion Park land is administered by the Azibuye Emasisweni Amaqhamu Community Trust after it was legally claimed from various farmers. The trust’s chairperson, Mlungisi Khanyezi, said he and the trust’s lawyers were filing an urgent application at the Pietermaritzburg High Court to interdict Eskom from continuing with the disconnection. When contacted for an update, Khanyezi said he was busy in a meeting and would only be available after 1pm; he did not answer phone calls or WhatsApp messages.

Eskom invited the public to report illegal connections via its crime line on 0800 11 27 22, WhatsApp on 081 333 3323, email at [email protected], or via SMS on 31090. The utility said reports can be made anonymously.

For the latest developments, see ongoing coverage from local news outlets.