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City Power Warns Joburg Residents of Consequences of Cable Theft After Spending R188 Million on Repairs
The Kliptown Magistrate Court in Soweto has been experiencing major power disruptions due to cable theft. Johannesburg City Power has warned residents that it will no longer foot the bill for replacing service cables that run from the pole box to the house. According to IOL, this decision comes after City Power spent R188 million on replacing stolen service cables in the past financial year.
According to City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangeana, the company needs to cut down on the significant costs associated with replacing stolen cables to focus its resources on its core business of supplying electricity to Joburg homes and businesses. Mangena emphasised that it is the homeowners’ responsibility to ensure that service cables are not stolen, as stated in Section 21 of the NRS Standard by-laws, which holds property owners accountable for applying for the installation of a service connection.
Mangena highlighted the urgency of the situation, stating that City Power is increasingly under pressure to replace stolen service cables free of charge, despite their pleas to communities to protect their cables and other infrastructure against theft and vandalism. He revealed that City Power spent R188 million solely on service cables in the previous year alone. This significant expenditure could have gone to essential equipment and infrastructure, such as mini substations, which cost around R700,000 each.
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The confiscation of hundreds of tonnes of service cables during cut-off raids of illegal connections in most informal settlements further underscores the issue’s magnitude. For instance, in a recent raid conducted in Motsoaledi Informal Settlement, 50,000kg of service cables, often stolen from paying customers, were seized, along with aluminium bundle cables frequently stolen from street poles for illegal connections. Service cables, transformers, joints, and mini substations are all being stolen in large numbers.
City Power has been facing immense pressure recently, with numerous complaints about faults, outages, and frequent trips after load shedding. The known hotspots for service cable theft include Alexandra, Fleurhof, Tshelisong, Princess, Lenasia, Eldorado Park, Pennyville, Matholeville, and Vlakfontein.
While City Power strives to invest in private security and collaborate with law enforcement agencies, Mangena believes the solution lies in communities committing to safeguarding infrastructure, particularly within their private properties. He suggests utilising resources such as patrollers, Community Policing Forums (CPFs), neighbourhood watches, and working closely with the local South African Police Service (SAPS). City Power calls on communities to organise themselves and collaborate with the company to combat the destruction of infrastructure.
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Picture: Twitter / Eskom_SA
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