Extortion syndicates are using electricity supply to exploit informal settlements.
People in Azania, a settlement of about 2,500 shacks in Stellenbosch, pay "the rackets" about R700 a month to keep the lights on. Businesses owned by foreigners pay thousands more in protection fees.
Zola Ndlasi said: "Everyone [in Azania] wants electricity. Most people are cagey about it for fear of being disconnected, or victimisation."
Last year extortionists charged R600 for illegal connections to shacks in the Driftsands Nature Reserve along the N2 near Somerset West. Residents estimated that there are 2,000 shacks on the reserve.
Tangled wires dangled perilously low over the settlement this week and TV satellite dishes sprouted across the sea of shacks.
"We pay between R400 and R600 to the rackets to connect us to the grid," said Lwandiso Wele.
"This settlement is growing and everyone wants lights and to cook on a stove. The connections work properly. I use electricity for cooking, my fridge and other appliances.
"Authorities . tell us that they can't do anything because we settled on a nature reserve. We deserve the services that our fellow citizens enjoy."
Wele said "connection syndicates" come from Philippi but a rickety ladder rested against an electricity pole next to his shack.
Trish da Silva, Eskom's Western Cape spokesperson, said illegal connections cost the utility dearly. They overload the network and cause unplanned outages that affect schools, clinics and traffic lights, she said.
"Illegal connections, meter tampering and bypassing, and the buying and selling of illegal prepaid vouchers remain a serious concern for SA, costing the economy R20bn every year," she said. "Eskom has already lost R1.977bn during the 2019/2020 financial year due to nontechnical losses.
"In the Western Cape alone, over R516m in revenue was lost and costs to the value of approximately R38.8m to repair the network were incurred due to theft and vandalism since the beginning of April 2020."
Da Silva said the hotspots were the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West.
"Though the Western Cape is not categorised as a hotspot, there are certain areas in Cape Town where illegal connections, theft and vandalism pose serious problems," said Da Silva.
"Eskom Western Cape has over the past few years experienced an increase in electricity theft in areas of Atlantis, Bloekombos, Blue Downs, Crossroads, Delft, Dunoon, Khayelitsha, Nomzamo in Somerset West, Marikana in Philippi, Rooidakke in Grabouw, Wallacedene and Witsand."
Da Silva said illegal connections posed a danger, especially to children who run barefoot. Eskom recorded 221 injuries and fatalities between April 2019 and September 2020, she said. Of these, 97 were linked to unsafe or illegal connections.
"In the Western Cape, Eskom recorded eight fatalities and two injuries for the year 2020. The most recent incident in the Western Cape occurred in July 2020 when an eight-year-old girl from Grabouw was electrocuted."
Da Silva said Eskom's technical staff conducted regular audits to remove illegal connections.
"Eskom is committed to the fight against illegal connections, but also relies on the support of the community," she said.
"Regular awareness campaigns such as customer and community forums, school visits and media awareness campaigns are conducted to spread awareness."
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