City Power is monitoring this weak spot to stop power outages from theft

City Power’s repairs to cables under the M1 highway bridge in Johannesburg are nearing completion, but have been hit with at least two incidents of vandalism in less than a week.

Cable theft last May sparked a fire in the tunnel under the bridge, which damaged key infrastructure, cut the power supply, and covered the CBD in smoke.

As of Saturday, three 400-metre high-voltage cables had been replaced, and six high-integrity joints had been installed. The utility said full restoration is expected on Sunday evening.

63 meters of cable were stolen from the M1 corridor earlier this month, with another 80 meters of earthing wire stolen last Sunday.

On Wednesday, a suspect was caught near a tunnel entrance with 20 pieces of stolen earthing conductor.

“These essential safety components provide grounding for high-voltage networks, ensuring fault currents dissipate safely and maintaining grid stability.

“Their removal jeopardises safe operations, requiring extensive rework and system testing before energisation proceeds,” explained City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena.

ALSO READ: Dozens of Eskom transformers are being stolen, police make key arrest

Weak spot identified by City Power

Mangena said the utility had ramped up surveillance and patrols, especially near manholes.

The holes have been found to be vulnerable and are an increasingly common way to get access to cables.

“Preliminary findings suggest increasing instances of unauthorised access to the tunnel network, particularly through unsecured manholes, highlighting a broader security vulnerability that City Power and its partners are urgently working to address.”

This was shown in another incident in the Joburg CBD on Thursday, when a 26-year-old homeless Malawian national reportedly breached a manhole and started hacking at cables underground.

“His arrest followed reports of distressing sounds from within the tunnel, prompting a rapid response from on-site security personnel.

“The suspect, found in possession of a hacksaw, attempted to flee but was swiftly apprehended and booked at Jeppe Police Station, where a case of tampering with critical infrastructure is being investigated,” said Mangena.

The cost of cable theft

In August, the utility said at least 130 people had been arrested over 12 months for theft and vandalism. Among these were City Power staff members and contractors, including security officers tasked with protecting vital infrastructure.

Two months prior, it estimated the cost of losses to cable theft at R160 million for the first six months of 2024 alone.

4 633km of copper cable was stolen between the 2020 financial year to the end of October 2023.

A 2023 GI-TOC report, entitled South Africa’s Illicit Copper Economy, reported on the extent of cable and copper theft.

“Every day in South Africa, criminal elements strip copper from wherever they can find it, including roads, homes, construction sites, and mines.

“The theft of copper from already ailing infrastructure severely affects the capacity and operations of state-owned entities and municipalities,” it found.

NOW READ: Bring in the army! City Power wants military to help fight cable theft crisis