Cable theft and vandalism have cost the Tshwane metro about R300 000 in Centurion this year, with 13 incidents recorded in the past three months alone.

Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the city has identified Dooringkloof Substation, Olievenhoutbosch and Lyttelton as hotspots, with repeated attacks on electricity infrastructure leaving residents facing power interruptions and costly disruptions to their daily lives.

“To strengthen security, a total of 45 mini-substations have been welded after attempts to vandalise them, with more to be secured as required,” said Mashigo.

Mashigo said the welding forms part of additional measures being introduced as cable theft and vandalism continue to threaten electricity infrastructure.

The metro said the financial impact of the incidents this year is estimated at approximately R300 000. This includes replacing stolen cables, repairing damaged infrastructure and restoring electricity supplies.

Mashigo explained that when vandalism occurs, the Centurion Electricity Depot attends to reported power failures immediately, aiming to restore electricity as soon as possible.

The metro said maintenance teams also regularly inspect the electricity network to ensure mini-substations are properly locked and secured.

Mashigo previously told the newspaper that the city’s mini-substations use custom-made safety locks that can only be opened with special keys. Damaged or missing locks are replaced immediately, while inspections and maintenance form part of weekly and monthly schedules.

“Councillors can also alert electricity teams when they identify unlocked mini-substations so that they can be secured,” he added.

Mashigo said the Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department is frequently visible in areas identified as cable theft and vandalism hotspots, adding that this visibility forms part of efforts to deter criminal activity and protect electricity infrastructure.

Residents comment on the high frequency of cable theft

Residents, however, say the problem remains a persistent concern.

Lyttelton resident Johannes Kruger said cable theft is a major problem across Centurion.

“There are often power outages that occur due to constant cable theft by thieves, and this has been a problem for years,” Kruger said.

Kruger said the outages directly affected his household, especially because he works from home. “When there are power outages that last for extended hours or even days, it becomes a problem for me and I am unable to work properly.”

He added that relying on generators was not a practical solution because of the cost of purchasing and continuously running them.

Kruger said the outages also affect his children, particularly when electricity is unavailable in the mornings before school. “It just causes a huge problem in our lives,” he said.

Rooihuiskraal North resident Domanic van Rensburg said cable theft is also a recurring problem in his area. He recalled repeated incidents of copper and aluminium cable theft at the Rooihuiskraal Road bridge.

“When these thefts occur, it causes major power supply issues and often takes time to get fixed,” Van Rensburg said.

Van Rensburg said the problem had previously prompted private security companies in the area to increase patrols in an effort to catch cable thieves in the act.

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