At least 500 houses were affected by power failure, after the substation was vandalised and stripped of cables. Photo submitted.
A substation in Homelake was broken into and stripped of its cables in the early hours of Saturday, 3 October.
According to councillor Craig Harrison, at least 500 houses in the area were without power for more than 24 hours – even Tambotie Mall was affected.
Cables at the substation were stripped. Photo submitted.
Hannes Ernst, head of Electrical Engineering at the Rand West City Local Municipality said, “Someone gained access through one of the windows, and stripped the copper cables. Even the battery charger was targeted.
They also damaged four feeder cables, which could not be restored quickly,” Ernst said.
Authorities investigating the power outage after the substation was broken into. Photo submitted.
Harrison confirmed to the Herald that the power in Homelake was restored at 10.30am on Saturday.
They will work on fixing the substation during the week,” Harrison said.
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For more than 4 and a half years, Clinton Botha was a journalist at Roodepoort Record. His articles were regularly published in the Northside Chronicle now known as the Roodepoort Northsider. Clinton is also the editor of Randfontein Herald since July 2020. As a sports fanatic he wormed his way into various "beats - as the media would know it - and admits openly that his big love always have something to do with a scoreboard, crowds and usually a ball that hops.
