City of Ekurhuleni Ward councillor Jaco Terblanche has raised concerns over the high number of cable theft incidents in his ward.
According to Terblanche, Kempton Park extensions 2 to 4 accounted for 52% of all cable theft incidents recorded in the City of Ekurhuleni in 2025.
In response to Democratic Alliance (DA) questions, the MMC for Energy reportedly indicated that of the 29 cable theft incidents recorded across the city in 2025, 16 occurred in Kempton Park extensions 2 to 4.
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“The financial cost of replacing stolen low-voltage cable averages R7 100 per incident. This means the city has spent approximately R113 600 on replacement materials, excluding labour and operational costs,” said Terblanche.
He added that this figure does not account for the financial impact on residents and businesses affected by outages.
Terblanche further stated that the unit tasked with combating cable theft in the Northern Region, which includes Kempton Park extensions 2 to 4, consists of one inspector, 16 EMPD officers, three traffic wardens and one security officer.
Despite being under-resourced and covering a large geographical area, the unit has achieved a reported 73% arrest rate.
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Terblanche said the long-promised “Safer City” initiative, which includes CCTV networks and data-driven policing, should be implemented without further delay to improve proactive crime prevention.
“A DA-led City of Ekurhuleni will strengthen the EMPD Cable Theft Unit with additional personnel, vehicles and operational support,” he said.
“Residents deserve a government that protects infrastructure, keeps the lights on and delivers quality services.”
City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said the city could not confirm the figures provided by Terblanche.
“At this point, the city cannot confirm that 16 out of 29 cable theft incidents in 2025 occurred in Kempton Park extensions 2 to 4,” said Dlamini.
He explained that cable theft remains high because syndicates often move between areas, targeting infrastructure intensively for short periods before relocating.
Dlamini said the city is working closely with law enforcement and private security to curb cable theft in Kempton Park.
Measures include ongoing operations by the EMPD Cable Theft Unit, increased patrols by metro police and security personnel along substations and cable routes, and faster response times to repair damaged infrastructure.
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He also encouraged residents to report cable theft via the city’s hotline.
Dlamini added that while the “Safer City” initiative has not yet been implemented, it is expected to include CCTV camera networks and real-time monitoring systems.
He noted that the extent of power outages depends on the level of damage and the type of infrastructure stolen, with disruptions affecting both residents and businesses.
According to Dlamini, power is restored within standard service-delivery turnaround times, where possible.
Residents are urged to report suspicious activity to SAPS, EMPD or their local ward councillor. Incidents can also be reported to the city’s call centre on 0860 54 3000.
