Inside Sunninghill’s cable theft crisis
A visit to a cable-stripping hotspot revealed the scale of infrastructure theft crippling Sunninghill, where hundreds of streetlights remain out of service, raising fears over crime, road safety, and exposed electrical hazards.
A site visit by Fourways Review and Sunninghill resident Tracy Kensey, accompanied by Savika Special Ops, has revealed the extent of cable theft that continues to plunge parts of Sunninghill into darkness.
The team visited where stolen streetlight cables were allegedly stripped after being dug up from roads across the suburb. Discarded cable insulation and evidence of repeated theft highlighted the organised nature of the crime, which residents say has escalated in recent months.
Read more: Street light vandalism and cable theft leaves Sunninghill roads in darkness
Kensey said criminals are targeting the underground cables connecting streetlights, leaving roads poorly lit and creating serious safety concerns. “Vandals are coming through at night, digging up the cables which run from streetlight to streetlight. Currently, we have about 470 streetlights not working in Sunninghill.”
She explained that, although some streetlight failures result from maintenance issues such as faulty bulbs or day/night switches, cable theft has become one of the biggest contributors to outages.
Criminals remove access covers from the base of streetlight poles, pull out the electrical wiring, and strip the stolen copper cables nearby.
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“We need a permanent solution to stop people stealing these cables.” Kensey also highlighted the dangers posed by exposed electrical infrastructure, recalling a previous incident in which a child was electrocuted after coming into contact with a damaged streetlight.
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Sunninghill Community Ratepayers Association (SCRA) chairperson Linda Gildenhuys said streetlight vandalism has plagued the suburb for years, but has recently worsened significantly.
“In our residential areas, many outages are linked to outstanding repairs, but along our main roads, the primary cause is vandalism and cable theft.”
She warned that the consequences extend beyond inconvenience.
“This is now a public safety issue. Dark streets create opportunities for crime, increase the risk of accidents, housebreakings, smash-and-grabs, and muggings, while exposed electrical infrastructure poses a potentially fatal danger.”
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Gildenhuys said its security partner, Savika Special Ops, conducts proactive patrols in known hotspots and has made several arrests linked to cable theft. Residents are urged to report suspicious activity immediately to improve response times.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said there are currently no streetlights awaiting repair in Sunninghill on City Power’s side, except in areas where a temporary power supply has been provided while maintenance is scheduled.
He added that, in response to persistent infrastructure theft, the utility has begun introducing solar-powered streetlights in selected high-risk areas across Johannesburg.
The technology contains fewer recyclable materials, making it less attractive to cable thieves while improving the resilience of the streetlighting network.
Eskom was also approached for comment, but no response was received.
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