Community continues to suffer rampant cable theft

There is no end in sight to the frustration and disruption in Centurion caused by cable thieves.

Relentless thefts have resulted in significant power outages, leaving many residents without reliable electricity and feeling increasingly helpless.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo revealed that over the last quarter, the cost of damage due to cable theft and vandalism in the area amounts to R1.8-million.

He said that the metro has already invested in copper cables; therefore will not be able to replace all the cables in a short period of time.

“The city continues to assess the situation, and where necessary, the city replaces the cables.”

Mashigo mentioned that 85 theft incidents occurred in Region 4 over the past three months, which included the theft of low-voltage cables, miniature substations, meter boxes, and medium-voltage cables.

He said to address some of these issues, the metro approved a community upliftment precinct (CUP) in 2024, aimed at fostering community involvement in combatting cable theft.

He added that the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) cable theft unit has also been actively involved in helping to address the issue.

“The cable theft unit receives reports on area hotspots to patrol, as increased police visibility has been shown to lessen acts of theft and vandalism.”

Residents in various parts of Centurion are feeling the brunt of these ongoing outages.

On March 20, a significant power outage struck Lyttelton from 07:00 until around 14:30 due to a substation trip.

This outage impacted numerous streets, including Burger, Pretorius, Selborne, Beryl, Clifton, and Monument streets, leaving many residents frustrated and inconvenienced.

On February 27, a group of angry Heuweloord residents took to the streets to protest against the frequent power outages that have severely affected their daily lives.

Protesters gathered at the intersection of the R55 and Marais Road and burnt tyres, creating chaos on the roads to draw attention to their dire situation.

Lyttelton resident Duvante Coetzee expressed the community’s growing frustration.

“We depend on electricity for everything, from running our appliances to maintaining a comfortable home, and even for our children’s education.”

He said that when the power goes out, it feels like their entire day is thrown into disarray.

“It’s disheartening because we have to rearrange our schedules, and it’s incredibly frustrating when there seems little done to protect us from these ongoing thefts.”

Another resident, Darren Jacobs, believes more should be done to address cable theft.

“We’ve been living in the darkness too often lately, and it’s unfair. Service delivery continues to be an issue, and our voices are being ignored,” he added.

Jacobs emphasised that residents are tired of empty promises and want real solutions.

“We deserve better service, and we want to see the city taking decisive action to address the rampant theft that’s impacting our daily lives.”

Region 4 ward councillors also voiced their concern about the persistent cable theft problem.

Ward 48 councillor Themba Fosi pointed out that cable theft continues to be a significant issue in the ward, with a recent incident on March 14.

“The city is dragging its feet, and if there were any real operations, these thieves would be caught.”

He noted that areas like Heuweloord and Monavoni are particularly hard-hit, with thieves typically targeting cables in the early morning hours between 02:00 and 04:00.

Ward 48 @CityTshwane (Heuweloord, Raslouw area, Centurion cable thieves struck have again. The local councillor has asked that the @TMPDSafety cable theft unit be deployed to the area until repairs have been completed. @nasiphim @kholofeloMorodi https://t.co/MXBndR55Cm pic.twitter.com/7KvfKmyT16

— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) March 14, 2025

Fosi also said that despite the ongoing thefts, “nothing except fruitless patrols” has been implemented to combat the issue effectively.

“We call upon the city to deploy technology, identify hotspots, instal thermal imaging cameras, and partner with security clusters, especially those working in the neighbourhood, to address this problem.”

Councillor Cindy Billson said both Ward 69 and Ward 70 are badly affected.

She said the Eldoraigne Substation has been a target, impacting wards 48, 66, 69, and 70.

Billson noted that while community partnerships with security firms have reduced the frequency of thefts to about one or two per month, the problem persists, especially during periods of load-shedding.

Ward 57 councillor David Farquharson highlighted the severe impact of these thefts on vulnerable communities, including an old age home at La Vie retirement village in Die Hoewes.

“The situation is very bad and depressing. At this point, the thieves are winning in shutting down the electricity supply. In my ward, cables get stolen almost every night,” he said.

Farquharson indicated that the community policing forum (CPF) has increased patrols in response to the thefts, but the persistent issue requires more robust measures from the city.

MMC for Community Safety, Hannes Coetzee, recently announced that the metro will not tolerate acts of sabotage of essential infrastructure.

“We will continue to take a firm stance against crime and criminal syndicates that seek to destabilise our communities by targeting critical infrastructure. They must know that their days are numbered.”

Coetzee recounted an incident two weeks ago when the TMPD cable theft unit intercepted an attempted act of sabotage at Fouriesburg Substation in Centurion.

He said officers discovered six people unlawfully entering the substation using a duplicate key.

Tshwane Metro Police Department Cable Theft Unit arrested six suspects in Centurion pic.twitter.com/ftUBa0J8rN

— City of Tshwane (@CityTshwane) March 13, 2025

“These suspects, who failed to produce any form of authorisation, were caught in the process of drilling through the infrastructure with the intent to interfere with our electricity supply.

“Cable theft and infrastructure vandalism have direct consequences for our communities, leading to power outages, economic losses, and increased vulnerability to crime.”

Coetzee said the suspects were arrested and are facing serious charges, including trespassing as well as damaging and tampering with essential infrastructure.

“We expect the full might of the law to take its course, and we urge the justice system to deal decisively with those who undermine the well-being of our residents.”

He urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity around substations, electrical networks, and other municipal infrastructure.

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