Large parts of Birch Acres and Thembisa, including sections of Winnie Mandela, have been left without electricity following cable theft at the Sethokgwa line connected to the Thembisa Main Substation.

Ward 7 councillor Thabang Jiyane confirmed that the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) is aware of the outage, which has affected the entire area.

“We have technicians dispatched to the scene. They are still on site investigating the cause of the trip. The next update will be provided at 09:00am,” Jiyane said.

This incident comes just two days after electricity supply was affected at various substations, sparking frustration and disagreements within the community over electricity costs and the repairs needed.

“It is very worrying to see the same community vandalising these connections,” Jiyane added.