Cable theft leaving residents powerless
Trenches left open because of additional repairs to infrastructure
Witpoortjie residents are up in arms after numerous attempts to steal the power cable in South Road have left them with no electricity.
“Maybe the way forward is for all of us to invest in a small generator, as cable theft is not going to stop,” said a disheartened Natalie Swart. She is one of the many Witpoortjie residents who have been affected by the repeated electricity outages caused by cable theft. The first attempt to steal the cable in South Road on 12 May, left residents without power for almost four days.
After contractors from City Power worked around the clock in cold and wet weather to restore electricity, the trenches were left open, and the temptation for the cable thieves was just too much.
Also read: Cable theft has in impact on all aspects of daily life
“So, there was another attempt to steal those cables again on Tuesday (30 May)! This after residents alerted City Power that there were people busy digging at the site again. If this was contractors, why was the trenches left open for easy access? Even after the public was vigilant and reported the matter, it still happened, how is that possible?” read Natalie’s Facebook post the next day.
The councillor for Ward 71, René Benjamin, confirmed that contractors were still busy at the site, and because certain repairs had not been completed, they had to leave the trenches open. “I went to the site to stand watch over the cables, as I was determined that the residents would not be without power again. I want to thank the collective efforts of Mr and Mrs Botha who joined me on site within five minutes, as well as Natalie, who came to check on us. Thank you to the block watch, my colleague, councillor Caleb Finn, and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, who waited with us until the armed guards arrived. A huge thank you also goes to Warrant Officer Yorke, who arranged for police patrols,” she said.
According to Virgil James, the spokesperson for City Power, the entity is facing an onslaught of cable thieves in its area of supply. “City Power’s Risk and Security Department has identified Witpoortjie as one of the hotspots and the number of incidents is very high. “We have provided additional security, because the area has become so volatile. Security guards are injured almost on a daily basis while trying to fight cable thieves,” he said.
He confirmed that a City Power contractor is still busy with repair and replacement work on the South Road site. “The work is taking place on the infrastructure that is currently supplying Witpoortjie with electricity. The reason for the trenches being left open, is because of additional work that must still be done on the same infrastructure,” James said. He added that, once all the work has been completed, City Power will place concrete slabs over the cables to keep them well secured.
“We apologise to residents for any inconvenience caused by this, and ask for them to be patient until all repairs have been completed. They should continue to report any vandalism or cable theft to the City Power call centre on 0800 0025 87 or 011 490 7911/ 7900/ 7553,” James concluded.
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