Consequences of illegal electricity connections at Quarry Road Informal Settlement

Abstract

Crime statistics in South Africa seem to increase every year. Illegal electricity connection is considered a crime and a punishable offence. Crime can be caused by different aspects, e.g. poverty, drug abuse and alcohol abuse. Unemployment seems to be the leading cause of crime which seem may indirectly lead to poverty unemployment rate has gone up and people are looking for alternative solutions to support themselves and their families. Unemployment is one of the reason stated by people who illegally connect electricity. The illegal connection of electricity can be categorized into two groups. The first group is the people that utilize illegally connected electricity because they claim not to afford to pay for it. The second group is the group of people who illegally connect electricity as a form of employment and illegally connect electricity for community members for a specific amount of money as remuneration. This cannot be stopped by the numerous awareness programmes made and the arrest. People are fully aware that what they are doing is wrong and have dire consequences but they keep doing it. The study investigated illegal electricity connections in Quarry Informal Settlements using the qualitative approach. Qualitative methodology relies on collecting first hand data and live experiences of participants. Qualitative research methodology will be fitting for this research as it will assist in providing insight into the research objective. The researcher applied semi-structure interviews to collect data with a sample size of 15 participants from Quarry Informal Settlements. The main objective of this study was to explore the consequences of illegal electricity connections in informal settlements focusing on Quarry Informal Settlement. Illegal electricity connections are lethal and the residents of Quarry Informal Settlements are aware of these consequences yet they seem to have no other alternatives to connecting electricity and no intervention from the municipality. Findings of this study also revealed that connecting electricity in Quarry Road Informal Settlement has since become a norm. It has since become an acceptable act to connect electricity illegally. A minority bought their houses with an already installed illegal connection while most have become accustomed to this act. The researcher has gathered some recommendations that can help in easing up these illegal connections especially in informal settlements as well as strategies municipalities can adopt.