Pretoria North Residents Combat Cable Theft By Greasing Poles

Over the weekend, members of the Pretoria North community took a proactive stance against cable theft by greasing 300 electricity poles in the area.

The initiative is being led by Ornell Van Zyl, Ferdi Hoffman, Chris de Jager, Vossie Vosloo, Frik Bronkhorst, and Nikki de Jager.

According to community member Nikki de Jager, greasing the poles has proven to be an effective deterrent against cable theft. Their goal is to apply grease to all the poles in the northern part of Pretoria.

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“We are focusing on the areas with the highest incidence of cable theft. Our aim is to cover all the poles in the region, ultimately eliminating cable theft and putting an end to prolonged power outages,” explained de Jager.

Cable theft has been a significant problem, prompting de Jager to appeal for assistance from the community. While local Community Policing Forums (CPFs) patrol the areas, it has become evident that additional preventive measures are needed to curb the activities of these thieves.

“We have experienced a few incidents of cable theft since the start of this project. To address this issue more effectively, we will engage the metro police cable theft unit to collaborate with us,” de Jager shared, highlighting the magnitude of the problem.

De Jager urged people to become sponsors to ensure the campaign’s successful completion. Donations from the community and local businesses are being sought to acquire more grease for painting all the poles in the area. Additionally, those with unused old grease are encouraged to donate it, as every contribution will contribute to the success of the project.

“We are determined to make this initiative a success. In the event that this approach proves insufficient, we are also working on backup strategies,” de Jager added.

Those interested in assisting with the project can contact Ornell van Zyl at 073 858 6329.

Source: North residents grease poles to fight cable theft

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Photo by Kindel Media