House calls with pliers

The householders should be arrested for theft and malicious damage to property, Nhlapo charged as an accomplice.

What these folks dont realise, is their NON-PAYMENT of electricity, is forcing Eskoms prices up, which forces the interest rates up.

Even though their electricity is free, their actions affect every single South African. So the choice is, free electricity, or no food in the future.

These are common dishonest thieves and not underground resistance heroes, of course. They should be reported and arrested and testified against on trial. And all those who have illegal connections should be prosecuted too. That is what would happen in any civilised, governable nation-state.

An interesting perspective in looking at the problem from the other side. This just illustrates how vote garnering can cause a giant like Eskom to come off the rails.

Nhlapo's argument is that the government promised free basic services during the 2000 local government election campaign. I remember that promise vividly. I also remember that during the campaigning they made no mention of the 50kw cap. Of course, it was there in the fine print. But the masses don't read the fine print. They just hear the promises. They gave the vote and now they expect delivery. And Nhlapo is holding them to his interpretation of their promises. He has a point.

If Eskom has their way with the proposed massive increases the problems highlighted in this article will only escalate as more impoverished households buckle under the burden of higher costs.

It will be interesting to see how the masses deal with the 500,000 job 'opportunities' Zuma promised before the end of 2009. Will it just fizzle out into another vote catching phantom?

This wholesale theft of electricity by retailer Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee (SECC) has extremely serious nationwide implications.

M&G is right to claim that: “In Soweto, the SECC has, quite simply, made power-provision ungovernable”. It is even more important than that. It is an extremely serious case of utter contempt for the law that could develop into nationwide chaos with dire results too terrible to contemplate.

This is a practice that needs to be nipped in the bud, quite simply by laying appropriate charges against Mr Nhlapo and the SECC. If needs be, the law needs to be reinforced as soon as possible, to make such contempt punishable by imprisonment without an option of a fine. In this way offenders would be unable to pursue their trade.

This is as much in the longer term interests of those sadly unable to afford to pay and their present plight is appalling but their expectations will never be achieved if this theft continues.

I am willing to believe Mr Nhlapo believes he is doing the right thing but he clearly does not even begin to realize the catastrophic implications of his “voluntary work”.

Dear readers, personally I would say that your average South African can not see the wood for the trees.

In this case you are hopping mad over some poor person living in a shack having illegal electricity.

After comparing this headline with the headline in the Sunday Times (today) where R100 million meant for BEE farmers has been used to buy houses and fancy cars I would say you quite clearly need to prioritise.

It is more than obvious (to folk living outside SA as we do) that your poor people are being governed by a bunch of thieves who seem to be untouchable by the law.

So the real question is – what is law in South Africa? Starting at the top not some poor fella stealing milk to feed babies. Avoid the smoke screens get to the real stuff folks. You know who they are – have the courage to change your country – for real

@Dick Corner. But Nhlapo is just taking what he believes the government has promised.

According to the law Nhlapo has rights. He is innocent until proven guilty. And the problem is that you have to catch him first .. and still build a case. Even if you do catch him there will probably be 10 others ready to step into his shoes and continue the 'good work!'. They are so audacious that they even have an official office.

Don't misunderstand me. I don't condone what he is doing. Yes, it is certainly theft. But people driven to desperation will use whatever means possible (even illegal) to survive. In Nhlapo's case the clumsy and sluggish judicial system is structured in such a way that it is stacked up in his favor. That is why, as the article states, there have been no prosecutions.

People like Nhlapo do not even try to comprehend the gravity of their actions in the greater scheme of things. Their disposition in life is that there is a problem that requires a solution NOW! The consequences are irrelevant. With a weak judicial system in this country, phenomenon like this will be almost impossible to stop. Eskom's solution is to hike tarrifs and make it the general consumers problem.

Sadly enough, no amount of conferences, workshops, working luches, talkshops, or anything the muesli munchers propose will ever make a dent into all of this. The reason? People have no other alternatives.

Ever tried to function without a TV license? So sorting out the illegal use of electricity is possible. It is just improbable with ANC promises and a total lack of will on the part of local authorities.

This is also not about those who can't pay, it is very much about those who won't pay.

Nice - theft, and you have to ask them nicely not to do it. All because of the government. They feel justified in their action, and do not see the wrong in it.

What boggles my brain is , why are the police not called in to arrest these law breakers ? I mean dammit they even have an office they work out of.

Illegal connections are everywhere even in rural areas, People hire technicians who temper with electicity meterboxes. Eskom and municipalities are not interested in dealing with these illegal connections.

Well said Andy! These people should be the least of our concerns. If the government (in Gauteng over a billion rand has gone AWOL in recent years) would stop stealing our tax money, they may even be able to deliver the free electricity to all residents of our republic. And don't get me started on Zimbabwe - they haven't paid a power bill for years, but Harare and Bulawayo are powered by Eskom.

Cant this idiots see what he is doing, he is busy crimpling the economy, and we the tax payer have to foot the bill
1. Firstly Melkhom (Eskom) must get their house in order, yes you will always have a lost, however 35%, that is a third of your income
2. If the rates goes up for consumers then, business (aka. smelters, mines, exports, and no reference to refer to SME's) should also help out, what I fail to understand is, Melkhom, is supplying the energy here, against a discount, normally one will get some kickbacks or something in return (i.e. BHP Billitons, we give you power, gives us coal), it seems that the big boys have pulled the wool over Melkhoms eyes.
Why is it that corruption and shortsighted is in the order of the day?

You must understand that this is the right of passage Myth eminating from those supposedly suppressed by the white man. The myth that all whites under apartheid killed thousands of blacks is still held to be true. The Myth that all whites are racist and those who support the ANC an necessary evil.

Now the reality - The myth that Mandella was a Sabateur and not convicted for treason is true. That Myth that whites got it all free is not true. The Myth that the average black man has logic comparaible with the best in the world has also been found wanting.

Finally the ANC created the myths as well as trained those who now are starting to make the country ungovernable. A generation was told that everything from housing to cars was free if they made the SA ungovernable.

Guess what that is no myth. Yes Ungovernability makes things seem free but the ANC will never admit that this has come to bite them on the bum. As the ANC has now discovered that they must continue giving free stuff to keep the vote.