POWER STRUGGLE: Residents forced to pay for stolen cables

Residents of Karee Street, Birchleigh, were left shocked and frustrated after being told they had to pay for the replacement of stolen electricity cables, a policy they never knew about.

Someone stole the cables in the area in the early hours of March 14, and residents promptly reported the issue to the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) app.

The energy department later contacted them, confirming they inspected the site and verified the theft.

However, residents learnt they must pay approximately R1 700 per household to replace the cables.

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Birchleigh resident Shaun Wright expressed his frustration, saying they met with officials who claimed the rule had been in place for five years but never enforced.

“They shifted the blame to our ward councillors, saying they should have informed us,” said Wright.

The stolen cables provided power to four houses, yet the department only replaced the cables for residents who had already paid.

Residents have also questioned why they are held financially responsible when the municipality funds an R2b security contract to protect public infrastructure.

“If a company is being paid to safeguard critical infrastructure, should they not be held accountable for its loss?

“What actions has this company taken to fulfil its obligations?” one resident asked.

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Ward Clr Jean Kriek confirmed he launched a petition immediately after residents heard they had to pay for the stolen cables.

Within 42 hours, over 550 people had signed the petition.

The goal is to submit the petition to the council by this morning, March 27, provided everything goes according to plan.

“We contacted the mayor, who has since written to the head of the Department for Energy (HOD) and the MMC for clarity.

“This is not a policy, but a memo from 2002 that was never passed in council.

“A motion to stop this will probably not succeed in council, but we are pushing for intervention and an appeal from the mayor to have it scrapped,” said Kriek.

Since January, there have been about 40 cable theft cases on lampposts in Birchleigh alone.

“The cables belong to the lampposts, which belong to the city.

“It is unfair that residents must be responsible for looking after them and paying when stolen,” added Kriek.

Esther Park resident Jessica Moller raised further concerns, particularly over political interference in community discussions.

She stated after raising the issue with Ward Clr Tracey Lourenco, she was told that the best person to contact was the chief engineer or HOD.

“To date, I have received no feedback, except that the mayor told Radio 702 the claim is false.

“However, opposition parties have provided proof of residents charged for reconnecting a streetlight.

“One family has been waiting for five days because they cannot afford the fee,” Moller stated.

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Clr Tracey Lourenco told the Kempton Express that she and her party were aware of the ongoing crisis of overhead cable theft across the metro and the unfair charges of R850 to R1 700 imposed on residents for repeated replacements.

“Since 2023, we have taken action in council by submitting petitions and questions to address these charges.

“Now, we are submitting a motion to rescind the memorandum that unfairly shifts responsibility to residents and ensure the correct implementation of the Electricity By-Laws.

“Our motion also seeks to require future cable replacements to be installed underground and increase police visibility in high-theft areas,” she said.

On March 17, the executive mayor denied the existence of this policy on live radio.

Lourenco urged residents to forward their white or pink receipts to thuto.ndesi@ekurhuleni.gov.za with their details.

Kempton Express contacted the mayor’s office and the City of Ekurhuleni on March 20, requesting a response by March 24.

However, no response has been received from either party.