One resident, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of intimidation, recently contacted the Newcastle Advertiser to express frustration over ongoing copper cable theft, particularly in the Lennoxton area.

“We have had two incidents here in less than two months, where criminals broke into mini-substations to steal copper cables. This caused electrical surges that damaged several of my appliances,” he said.

According to the resident, the surges damaged his camera system, printer, copier and air-conditioner, resulting in losses of around R60,000.

“This is not acceptable. Why has the municipality not acted or introduced plans to prevent criminals from accessing substations? It is unacceptable that tax-paying citizens must suffer because of crime,” he added.

He also expressed frustration with the insurance claims process.

“Trying to claim has been another nightmare. Insurers charge high excess fees and offer minimal payouts, often blaming residents for not having surge protectors. However, these surges should not be happening in the first place,” he said.

Councillor raises growing concerns

Ward 25 councillor Shandy Singh also raised concerns about the increasing incidents, which he said are placing residents at risk.

“This has become a major problem across Newcastle. The municipal manager has raised the issue with Newcastle SAPS on several occasions, but it has been difficult to identify suspects, even where video footage exists,” he explained.

Singh added that the thefts are carried out by individuals who understand the risks involved.

“These criminals know exactly what they are doing and carry out the thefts in a way that avoids injury,” he said.

He noted that several electrical kiosks and mini-substations have been vandalised in recent months, particularly between Fairleigh and Lennoxton.

Infrastructure vulnerabilities persist

While new locking systems have been installed on mini-substations, electrical boxes remain vulnerable.

According to Singh, the theft of cables from these boxes is the primary cause of the damage experienced by residents.

“When the neutral cable is cut, it sends a 400-volt surge through the live cables, which most appliances and even light bulbs cannot withstand,” he explained.

He acknowledged that, until a long-term solution is implemented, there is little that can be done to fully prevent the incidents.

In the meantime, he advised residents to install surge protectors and voltage regulators to safeguard their appliances.

“Although costly, it is currently the most effective way to reduce damage while authorities work towards a solution,” he said.

Singh also believes that second-hand shops and scrapyards are contributing to the problem by purchasing stolen copper.

“If these businesses stopped buying copper from informal traders, the incentive for theft would decrease,” he said.

He further called for increased police visibility and more stop-and-search operations in affected areas.

The Newcastle Advertiser contacted the municipality for comment, but no response had been received at the time of going to print.

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