Tshwane’s electricity disconnection policy upheld by High Court

ELECTRICITY theft via prepaid meters will not be tolerated, as was once again ruled by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, which turned down an application by a homeowner to declare the City of Tshwane’s conduct illegal in disconnecting her electricity before giving her prior notice.

- ZELDA VENTER

The court found that the City’s Stand-ard Electricity by-laws provide for dis-connection in response to the tampering of the electricity supply without giving the consumer prior notice.

The applicant is the owner of a prop-erty situated at an estate in Pretoria East. The electricity supply to her premises was disconnected by the City as it alleges she was tampering with her electricity connection so that she did not have to pay for it.

It is the applicant’s case that she should have been given a notice before the disconnection; however, the City says that in the event of tampering, there is no provision for a prior notice.