Wychwood residents battle cable theft crisis as City of Ekurhuleni remains silent

The Wychwood area and its surrounds are under siege from a relentless wave of cable theft that continues to cripple households and businesses alike.

The repeated theft of electrical cables has left the community in the dark, both literally and figuratively, as they struggle to find lasting solutions.

The City of Ekurhuleni has remained unresponsive to calls for action.

For months, power outages caused by cable theft have become a grim routine in Wychwood.

Residents regularly wake up without electricity, local businesses are forced to halt operations, and perishable goods are lost due to the unstable power supply.

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“It’s not just frustrating, it’s financially draining for residents and businesses. Every time cables are stolen, we’re left without power for days.

“Businesses lose income and residents spend money they already don’t have. And yet, no permanent help has come from the city,” said PRA vice-chairperson David-Hutch Barr.

The situation has grown so dire that the community has begun taking matters into its own hands. Residents, businesses, and private security firms have started pooling funds to secure exposed infrastructure and protect remaining cables.

“This is not fair on residents and businesses already struggling because of the impact of these thefts. A task that should fall under the municipality’s responsibility now falls on us,” said Hutch Barr.

Evidence of the crisis is scattered across the suburb. There are open holes where cables were stolen, later filled by residents and business owners after each incident. Despite numerous reports and pleas for intervention, community members say their calls have been met with silence.

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In the absence of municipal action, locals are now exploring long-term solutions. These include secure trenching, CCTV surveillance, and private patrols to protect what little infrastructure remains.

“It’s a shame that ratepayers, who continue to pay their dues, have to dig into their own savings to solve a problem the city refuses to address. We need proper cable enclosures, real monitoring systems, and actual law enforcement action,” said Hutch Barr.

While the collective efforts of residents, businesses, and private security teams have helped to some extent, the burden is unsustainable without structured municipal support and investment.

Ward 36 Clr Wendy Morgan described the cable theft crisis as increasingly concerning.

“The city not taking action is troubling. How much is this costing them to replace the cables every month? Surely it would be more cost-effective to install early warning systems along these lines,” said Morgan.

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She added that residents and businesses continue to be severely affected.

“This has been going on for over five years, and it still hasn’t been resolved. The city must ensure these cables are properly secured against theft,” she said.

An enquiry was sent to the City of Ekurhuleni, but no comment was received at the time of going to print.