Stakeholders partner to combat infrastructure vandalism

Main stakeholders of security sectors and interested parties will, in less than 21 days, receive feedback from Eskom on locals’ intervention to safeguard the Eiger transmission substation.

This comes after reports of sporadic attacks on the substation, said to supply power to greater parts of Alberton.
The large substation between the R59, Potgieter Street and Swartkoppies Road is reported to have been exposed to vandalism and theft, posing a threat to Alberton’s power supply.

During an informal meeting on March 17 in New Redruth, different entities gathered to find a solution to this destruction and tabled their concerns for Eskom’s representative.

Ward 106 councillor Tim Denny stressed that if this substation is not given any priority, major if not all, parts of Alberton will not have any power.

“Our request to Eskom is that may we include our own security companies to patrol and to be involved in the security and put in alarms and cameras at this substation. This is because the substation has been considered as a soft target and it is attacked. Once we have been answered after those 21 days, we will sit down and plan a way forward,” said Denny.

Vegetation around the substation has also been contributing to the degrading of the substation.

Denny assured them they will cut the grass around the substation to minimise criminal elements.

Development

Present during the meeting were CPS Security, Fox Security, SOG, CPF, EMPD and Alberton SAPS representatives, AfriForum Alberton, councillors and business owners.

Saven Naidoo, Eskom’s transmission customer relations, confirmed in February, all the surrounding copper of the transformers were stolen at this substation.

“When that happens, the whole substation has no power, and Alberton is supplied from that station. If there is no supply to the municipality, the whole of Alberton will go off. We noticed crime there was getting quite bad since the last quarter of last year,” he said.

After the ordeal, he said some measures were put in place, and they have since discussed a few things that could be done to help improve the situation.

Naidoo also promised he will escalate these issues to management on ways to restrain this damage and soon revert to these different entities.

During the meeting, they also proposed forming a WhatsApp group for main stakeholders of security sectors in the area that will be committed to voluntary patrols.

Matthew Collen of CPS Security openly announced that criminals take advantage of power outages, especially at businesses.

“There should be lighting around the substation so security guards can see what is happening around the substation. The minute power goes off in the Alberton, it wreaks havoc because we get panics coming in between. This puts a massive strain on all security companies,” he said.

He reiterated that incorporating new technology into this substation will help curb these issues.