The public company Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) in the district of Chókwè, in the southern province of Gaza, has lost 11 million meticals this year due to illegal electricity connections.
According to the director of EDM in Chókwè, Júlio Simango, quoted by the Club of Mozambique website, the damages were calculated during inspections carried out by the company, in which it was discovered that a total of 500 customers were using electricity fraudulently.
According to the official, electricity is stolen through clandestine connections. To discourage the practice, “some customers were fined and in other cases, given their seriousness, they were brought to justice”.
“Illegal connection is a criminal offence. The case files have been opened so that the courts can hold them responsible for the damage and fraudulent energy consumption,” he said.
Recently, the company reported that in Maputo province, in the months of January to July this year, there were 72 cases of vandalisation of electrical equipment that caused major damage, making it difficult to achieve the goal of universal access to electricity by 2030.
At the time, EDM announced that it had recovered around four tonnes of stolen copper cables, valued at 10 million meticals.
