By Doreen Mokgolo
Residents of hijacked buildings in Germiston are without electricity and water after officials from the Ekurhuleni metro cut their illegal connections.
On Friday, the metro identified 19 buildings and businesses in the Germiston CBD that owed over R65-million in unpaid bills.
The cut-offs are part of a campaign led by Energy MMC Mzayifane Ngwenya and Finance MMC Jongizizwe Dlabathi to stop revenue losses and recover outstanding debts owed to the municipality.
Ngwenya said tenants in the hijacked buildings pay for water and electricity, but the landlords do not pay the metro.
“We need strict measures to ensure we get money from these buildings. We will keep checking hijacked buildings to stop illegal reconnections,” said Ngwenya.
Dlabathi added the metro is also taking back the hijacked buildings.
“We will monitor illegal connections and plan to remove tenants. Many of these buildings are unsafe and could be fire hazards,” he said.
Nombizodwa Zulu, a resident in a hijacked building, said she did not know it was illegally occupied.
“I’ve lived here for the past year, paying rent and receiving services. There were no signs it was illegal. I wish the metro had told us so we could find new places to live. I’ve already paid August rent and can’t afford new accommodation,” she said.
Pictured above: Ekurhuleni Finance MMC Jongizizwe Dlabathi.
Source: Doreen Mokgolo
