Press Statement by Lizelle Steyn: DA Councillor in eMalahleni Local Municipality
• eMalahleni Local Municipality is losing 24.85% of the electricity that it purchases.
• The municipality is failing to tackle meter tampering, electricity theft and illegal electricity connections.
• Electricity distribution losses are costing eMalahleni millions.
8 July 2026
Release: Immediate
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the decision of the ANC-led eMalahleni Local Municipality to support our proposal and create an Electrical Protection Unit (EPU).
Over the past couple of years, the municipality has been struggling to clamp down on illegal electricity connections, meter tampering, infrastructure vandalism and outdated infrastructure which is approximately fifty years old.
During a presentation concerning distribution losses, we discovered that non-technical electricity losses recorded an alarming 24.85%. Equally concerning is the fact that electricity distribution losses stood at 30% during the 2024/25 financial year.
Apart from a failure to monitor losses, residents have also endured repeated cable theft incidents over the past several weeks, with some areas experiencing theft at the same locations on multiple occasions.
In a bid to combat the heightened electricity losses, cable theft and illegal electricity connections, the DA proposed the creation of the specialised unit which will focus on reducing electricity distribution losses.
The acceptance of this proposal is an important step towards restoring accountability within the municipality’s electricity network as a dedicated Electrical Protection Unit will contribute to reducing electricity losses, improving infrastructure protection, and providing the municipality with more accurate data to measure technical and non-technical losses.
Most importantly, it will help improve the reliability of electricity supply to residents. The DA in eMalahleni will not relent, we will closely monitor it so as to ensure that it produces tangible results and is not merely another resolution that remains unimplemented.
This is not only a victory for the DA but, more importantly, a victory for every resident of eMalahleni who deserves a reliable electricity supply, responsible governance, and a municipality that committed to protecting public resources.