City Power Demolishes Houses in Alex Built on Top of Fault Power Cables

Two houses in Alexandra were demolished over the weekend because residents built them on top of faulty power cables, which prevented City Power from carrying out repairs and left the community without electricity for several days. According to IOL, Councillor Teffo Raphadu stated that the power outage affected areas in Tsutsumani extensions 7 and 8 and surrounding areas.

According to Raphadu, people had built structures on top of the cables, which staff needed to break to access the cables required for repairs. City Power revealed that one faulty cable was beneath a double-storey house in the Tshisa Nyama section. The utility added that most structures were illegal, and some were extended homes.

Meanwhile, City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena stated that the utility had spent R200 million replacing 390 mini-substations in February. He further noted that the high demand for repairing and replacing damaged infrastructure had significantly impacted mini-substations, causing a considerable dent in the utility’s budget. As a result, City Power has already spent 80% of its budget for the financial year.

Also read:

Cable Thieves on the Loose! City Power Issues Urgent Warning About Dangerous Syndicates

Picture: Twitter / CityPowerJhb