Tshwane Launches Amnesty Period to Address Illegal Electricity Connections

The City of Tshwane has introduced a one-month amnesty period to address the growing issue of illegal electricity connections. Residents who have unlawfully connected to the electricity grid or tampered with their meters are being urged to come forward and regularize their connections without facing penalties.

Deputy Mayor and MMC for Finance, Eugene Modise, emphasized the importance of promoting accountability among residents. He encouraged those implicated in illegal connections to visit the municipal customer care offices to voluntarily rectify their situations.

As part of the initiative, customers will be provided with a form to complete the request for the normalization of their meters, and they will be exempted from paying tamper fees.

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Modise acknowledged that many illegal connections were not always made out of malice but were often a result of the increasing cost of living affecting residents in Tshwane and across the country. He stated, “The Tshwane multiparty coalition government recognizes that these actions are often driven by financial hardship.”

Since October 2024, the municipality has carried out over 66,448 disconnections, which highlights the growing financial struggles residents are facing when it comes to paying utility bills.

To further support residents, the Tshwane coalition government recently presented a report to the Council outlining a debt-relief scheme designed to tackle illegal electricity connections and provide financial relief. This program, passed by the Council on Thursday, 27 February 2025, could potentially see up to R10 billion in municipal debt scrapped.

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The proposal has been welcomed by several civic organizations, including Lotus, Attridgeville, and Saulsville Civic Association (Lasca). These groups have been actively campaigning for the City to address inaccuracies and alleged fabrication of municipal bills. They are supportive of the new proposal, which could potentially alleviate some of the financial burdens on residents.

The amnesty period is set to run until March 31, 2025, giving residents an opportunity to come forward and regularize their electricity connections. During this time, customers are encouraged to update their municipal accounts by visiting their nearest municipal office or submitting settlement requests via email to [email protected] or [email protected].

Modise explained, “By voluntarily reporting tampering with electricity meters, customers will qualify for a waiver of the tamper fee, provided they agree to the installation of a new meter and protective device.”

Any remaining outstanding debt will be managed in accordance with the City of Tshwane’s standard credit control and debt collection policy.

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