Izinyokas’ days numbered

06 October 2015

 

Cable thieves, be afraid; be very afraid!

This is the strong warning that emerged from the first day of the 25th annual convention of the Association of Municipal Electricity Utilities of Southern Africa (AMEU) at the Sandton Convention Centre on Monday October 5.

 

Outgoing AMEU President and Managing Director of City Power Sicelo Xulu told delegates that changes to the Criminal Matters Amendment Bill were being fast-tracked to classify cable theft as an act of economic sabotage.

 

The three-day conference, which ends on Wednesday October 7, is being hosted by the City of Johannesburg. The conference has attracted hundreds of leaders and experts in the electricity supply sector.

 

In his address, Xulu said the industry had suffered immensely at the hands of cable thieves, notoriously known as izinyoka. He said as a result, the industry had come together and lobbied the government to classify cable theft as an act of economic sabotage because of the debilitating impact it had on the economy.

 

“Cable theft has haemorrhaged the economy of billions of rands. Unplanned power outages resulting from this wanton criminal activity have led to widespread job losses. We’re encouraged by the gravity and urgency with which the government is taking this issue and we hope the amendments to the bill would be fast-tracked to bring the perpetrators of this crime and the syndicates behind them to book,” he said.

 

Xulu said the imposition of the maximum sentence would serve as a deterrent to “those who selfishly regard our infrastructure as vulnerable prey and easy source of revenue”.

 

“We welcome the proposed changes, which seek to impose more stringent sentences for those convicted of cable theft,” he said.

Xulu further implored the delegates to keep investigating the feasibility of alternative energy sources – including solar, hydro and wind power – adding that “often solutions lie under our noses”.

 

“The challenge is to identify these,” Xulu said.

 

The convention seeks to find alternative energy sources, especially in the face of the electricity challenges facing South Africa. Johannesburg Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau told the gathering that some of the alternative energy sources available had proved to be expensive for a developing country like South Africa.

 

He said the convention had a responsibility to seek out technologies cheaper to apply in line with environmental considerations. He praised City Power, the City’s power utility, for being at the forefront of identifying opportunities such as load limiting.

 

He added that the City would continue its quest to implement alternative initiatives of generating electricity capacity. He also spoke about the partnership that the City had entered into with the University of Johannesburg to grow the green economy.

 

“A lot has been achieved but there is also a lot to do. Tomorrow will indeed be better than today,” he concluded.