Private security provider assumes responsibility for vulnerable substations
Residents of Fairland have been left in the dark for days as City Power substations have been targeted by theft and vandalism. But now, Beagle Watch has stepped in to take on the task of securing vital pieces of infrastructure.
Substations, which are under the responsibility of City Power, have been plagued by theft and vandalism, leaving residents without power for extended periods.
The issue has become a concerning trend throughout the city, with criminal elements targeting the valuable copper and electrical equipment within the substations.
According to Beagle Watch director Andre Aiton, they received a call about a vandalised substation on February 20, when the incident was reported on a community group. “We responded and began cleaning up the overgrowth around the substation, which had aided in the break-in, providing cover for the suspects.”
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Aiton highlighted that the Cornelius substation in Fairland was completely stripped, with individuals entering from the highway and stealing cables and copper from the transformer. This has taken over six days to repair.
He announced that Beagle Watch has now taken responsibility for the security of two substations in the area, as City Power is under immense pressure and unable to maintain the facilities. “We have a successful environmental team that assists in cleaning City Power’s infrastructure, and we have now applied to partner with them to adopt the vandalized substation and install security equipment.”
The vandalism, and subsequent power outage, has placed residents at risk, as they have been without power for seven days, affecting their security measures and daily lives. “We have offered support to the residents, including providing deep freezers, office space, and shower facilities.”
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Ward 98 councillor Beverley Jacobs stated that she is thankful for the partnership entered into between City Power and security companies. It allows for a degree of protection to keep infrastructure safe from vandalism and theft. “This, however, cannot be a long-term solution as private entities and local government entities have different mandates, which will ultimately create conflicts of interest, as the government and private industries’ mandates overlap.”
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena acknowledged that the vandalism and theft of their infrastructure is driven by criminal elements seeking to profit from the high demand for copper and other valuable materials on the illicit market. “We have adopted a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue, including collaborating with communities, law enforcement agencies, and private security companies like Beagle Watch.”
Mangena outlined that Beagle Watch is part of the broader security industry partners who voluntarily apply for the adoption and protection of the network. “City Power does analyse the application forms, to assess the adequacy of the security measures they propose. On the strength of such measures, we then grant the approval.”
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However, City Power has stated that it is humanly impractical to police their entire network of over 22 000 load centres, and they continue to urge the community to assist in protecting the infrastructure.
Mangena concluded that they are actively collaborating with law enforcement agencies to apprehend those responsible for these crimes. Together with the communities’ help, they can safeguard the electrical infrastructure and ensure the reliable delivery of power to all communities.
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