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Please allow residents to come clean on stealing

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DA requests electricity amnesty be brought to NMB

Dear MyPE

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Nelson Mandela Bay has written to the acting City Manager, Noxolo Nqwazi, to request her intervention to expedite the plan to give residents (domestic customers) an amnesty period to allow them to come clean if they are stealing electricity to avoid fines or prosecution.

In June 2018, during the DA-led coalitions time in government an amnesty plan was presented to the infrastructure portfolio committee after electricity losses had increased.

Tampering is a contributing factor to the non-technical losses of electricity.

Electricity losses are increasing from 13.13% in the 2016/17 financial year to 14.3% 2018/19. For the first 6 months of the current financial year, electricity losses are at 16.6%. The predicted shortfall in Electricity Revenue is R200 million

Punitive measures to address tampering are in place, but indigent customers cannot afford to pay the charges.

The amnesty process provides the opportunity for residents who have tampered with municipal equipment to apply for amnesty in order for the municipality to normalise the tampered conditions.

Since the ANC-led coalition of corruption took over government in August 2018 this plan has been placed on the back burner, or is simply being ignored while our people are being disconnected and might face the very real possibility of prosecution and the Metro keeps losing electricity due to tampering.

We request that the acting City Manager intervenes by making sure that the item comes to a full Council meeting.

Only a DA government can ensure financial stability in NMB and speed up the delivery of basic services.

Regards

Masixole Zinto Cllr
DA NMB Spokesperson for Infrastructure and Engineering

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