The ongoing theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure in Alexandra and surrounding areas continues to pose serious challenges for City Power and local communities.
A substation near Vincent Tshabalala Road, which supplies electricity to Alexandra, Lombardy East, Lombardy West, and Rembrandt Park, remains unsecured and vulnerable to theft and vandalism.

Ward 81 councillor Joanne Horwitz described the site as completely open, with broken gates and a deteriorating perimeter wall. “It is wide open to anybody who wants to come in and do mischief,” she said.

Read more: Residents pin hopes on Free Basic Electricity as energy costs increase

She further highlighted the impact of leaving such a critical substation unsecured, noting that when the infrastructure is stolen or vandalised, it results in costly repairs for the City of Johannesburg and leaves residents without electricity for extended periods.

Tyrell Meyers, DA Shadow MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services, echoed these concerns. He pointed out the economic consequences, especially for nearby factories that rely on uninterrupted power. “If they lose power, they can’t produce, and obviously they are going to have to lay off workers,” he said. “There is a negative ripple effect.”

Meyers criticised the absence of basic security measures, noting that the gate does not close and there is no security presence. “These things cost millions of rands. It is a critical infrastructure. We have new law enforcement, which deals with infrastructure sabotage—the city must start protecting the infrastructure. We must start seeing cases, and people going to jail.”

Also read: Mahauzana Flats to receive temporary electricity solution

The visit formed part of the DA’s infrastructure campaign launch in Alexandra, aimed at highlighting the province’s deteriorating infrastructure and proposing solutions. Shadow MEC for Infrastructure, Nico De Jager, emphasised the need for collaboration between communities, SAPS, CPFs, and private security companies to safeguard public assets. “City Power needs to take responsibility. You cannot have a situation where a substation has no perimeter walls, broken gates, and no security guards on site.”

In a statement released last week, City Power’s CEO, Tshifularo Mashava, highlighted the recent arrests of six cable theft suspects. The suspects were arrested for separate incidents of theft and tampering with the utility’s infrastructure in Alexandra, Johannesburg CBD, and Bramley View. The utility viewed the arrests as a breakthrough in their fight against cable theft and vandalism. Mashava praised the cooperation between City Power, the police, and the community, stating, “This is the kind of collaboration needed to curb the scourge of theft and vandalism.”

“These arrests demonstrate that City Power and its partners are stepping up the fight against criminals sabotaging essential infrastructure,” she added.

Alex News has reached out to City Power for comment, specifically regarding the unsecured substation near Vincent Tshabalala Road. An update will be provided once it becomes available.

Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!