Eskom says it loses R3m daily due illegal connections in Soweto

JOHANNESBURG - Eskom says it’s been losing R3 million daily from illegal connections in Soweto, forcing the utility to conduct load reduction to ease pressure on transformers.

Since September last year, areas including Zola, Jabulani and Zondi have experienced prolonged hours of load reduction due to a transformer breakdown.

Initially, residents would only have to contend with a four-hour inconvenience, but lately they have been experiencing up to 14 hours of daily outages.

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Gauteng Eskom spokesperson Amanda Qithi says the utility is overwhelmed by issues, including illegal connections in the areas.

She’s called for patience, explaining that load reduction is the only way to keep transformers running

There's a possibility that if a transformer overloads, it may explode as a result, and the people in that area could be injured when the transformer overloads