PRETORIA - Illegal connections cost Tshwane half a billion rand a year.
That's the word from the mayoral committee member for finance, Peter Sutton.
Sutton says the recent amnesty programme will make a significant impact on revenue collection.
READ: Illegal connections | Tshwane launches amnesty programme
Tshwane launched the programme for residents who've tampered with their water and electricity meters.
The city gave residents a chance to come clean and admit to the tampering before the city finds them.
"We’re hopeful that the 1,500 amnesty applications we get now will make a significant impact on our revenue collection," Sutton said.
"So when we normalise these accounts, people have now used this opportunity for amnesty, we forgive them, we move on.
"We will get them to start paying their accounts as per the agreement and we’re hopeful that will continue to make a significant impact on our revenue collection on an annual basis.”