Primrose cable theft crisis leaves residents in darkness and danger

The cable theft crisis in Primrose is spiralling out of control, with near-daily incidents pushing residents to breaking point.

The community has been hit repeatedly, with a relentless wave of thefts plunging neighbourhoods into darkness, endangering lives, crippling businesses, and laying bare the CoE’s vulnerability in securing critical infrastructure.

The most recent theft, on Main Reef Road, has sparked renewed outrage from the Primrose Ratepayers Association (PRA), which has long warned the city about the consequences of the city’s failure to secure vital public assets.

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This latest theft not only disrupted the electricity supply to homes and businesses but also critically endangered a palliative care clinic for children reliant on ventilators.

“This isn’t just about service delivery anymore, it’s about survival,” said resident Janet Gerretsen.

“Hospitals, schools, old age homes, and even a children’s palliative care clinic relying on ventilators have been left without power. This is a matter of life and death.”

The PRA has written to the mayor pleading for an intervention.

“Despite repeated warnings and community engagements, the CoE has been slow to roll out effective preventative measures.

“Residents are left to protect critical infrastructure on their own, setting up patrols and guarding substations overnight. But the city seems not to be interested in assisting,” said PRA vice-chairperson David-Hutch Barr.

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He said that since May, the situation had significantly worsened:

• Frequent and extended power outages are now the norm;
• Illegal miners are digging trenches along main municipal roads to access underground cables;
• These activities have led to armed confrontations between security personnel and the miners, placing residents at direct risk;
• Fresh trenches are left open and unguarded, forcing the community to self-organise and guard these areas at personal risk.

City’s response

According to the city, the process to appoint new security service providers is almost complete. These providers are expected to install surveillance technology, monitor alarms and collaborate with the EMPD for patrols.

However, it gave no clear deadline.
The city has confirmed that it must frequently replace stolen cables, resulting in an increasing financial burden.

However, the damage goes beyond copper; auxiliary infrastructure is often destroyed during the theft, further escalating costs.

While the city replaced some cables with aluminium to deter thieves, even these are being targeted, and it admitted it is battling budget constraints.

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”Cable theft is widespread across the country. Talks have been held to discuss measures to reduce it, but there is no additional funding for the operational budget used primarily for the replacement of stolen cables and operations of security measures,” said city spokesperson Zweli Dlamini

Residents’ action
The PRA is now considering legal action to compel the city to fulfil its constitutional mandate to protect infrastructure and ensure reliable electricity distribution.

“The lack of urgency from the city constitutes gross negligence. We have exhausted all other channels,” stated Hutch Barr.

The association’s demands:

• An immediate investigation into the Main Reef Road theft;
• The deployment of permanent security solutions at high-risk infrastructure points
• Formal engagement between the city, the PRA, and stakeholders to co-create sustainable protection plans.