Durban - A proportional representation councillor in the Estcourt Municipality is facing allegations of stealing electricity and tampering with an electricity meter but has blamed electricians she let a property to.
ANC Councillor Edith Lite is accused of “fixing” electricity meters at her house and “flats”.
Lite, however, said it was contractors renting her father’s home who had tampered with the electricity.
She supplied the Mercury with a letter dated March 4, which the company employing the contractors allegedly wrote, apologising for the incident. It said their employees, who were staying at flats in the Kolita area, allegedly made an illegal connection and also failed to pay rent.
The company promised to pay the R23 000 fine imposed by the municipality on the homeowner (Lite) for tampering with electricity and outstanding usage.
The letter is addressed to the municipality and does not refer to Lite. It refers to flats, but Lite said the property was a house. She said she only found out that the electricity had been tampered with after it tripped and she called the municipality.
“The illegal connection was discovered by the municipal officials and they called me to come and have a look,” she said
However, a source close to the council alleged that it was not only her “flats” where the electricity was rigged, but also her own home.
“We knew that there were issues with electricity there, but we also know there were issues at her house,” said the source.
She denied that allegation.
Theft of electricity in Estcourt is a problem. Certain parts of the Wembezi township, Colita and Forderville are problematic, with a high number of residents not paying for their electricity.
“Where she lives,” said the source, “a large number of the people were not paying for electricity. As a councillor, how can they encourage people to pay for electricity when the councillor who gets paid every month is not paying?”
The average salary for councillors in the municipality is R16 000 before taxes.
Mziwandile Majola of the IFP said he was aware of the allegations against Lite but declined to comment further saying the matter was not yet presented to the council.
Hlula Dladla, the municipal manager in Estcourt, said he was not aware that a councillor was involved, and would know only after receiving the list of offenders for last month.
“Councillors have a code of conduct. If a councillor is involved in tampering with electricity I will have to write to the Speaker... the same as when a councillor owes money for electricity.”
He conceded, however, that Colita, where Lite lives, was problematic. He said when someone was caught, they were fined and also made to pay for the period during which they had not been paying.
The Mercury