Metro steps up fight against cable theft after substation explosion

Cable theft continues to pose a serious challenge across the metro, disrupting essential services, damaging critical infrastructure, and leaving communities vulnerable to prolonged power outages.

Despite ongoing interventions by the municipality and law enforcement agencies, criminals persist in targeting electricity networks.

This has forced the city to intensify measures to safeguard key infrastructure, such as the Olievenhoutbosch Substation, which was severely damaged by a fire in December.

The Olievenhoutbosch Primary substation on fire in Centurion. @CityTshwane pic.twitter.com/QPyGq4JIXf

— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) December 24, 2025

In the wake of the blaze that occurred on Christmas Eve, the metro has maintained a strong focus on preventing a repeat of the incident.

Tshwane metro spokesperson Selby Bokaba said that short-term measures remain in place, including the continued deployment of security guards at the substation, enhanced patrols in the surrounding area, and an increased visible security presence aimed at deterring would-be vandals.

Policing officials have also stepped up enforcement efforts across the city. Recent operations by the TMPD have shown some progress in apprehending suspects linked to cable theft and related crimes.

Bokaba stated that the municipality acted swiftly to stabilise the situation following the fire and to ensure that the electricity supply was restored as quickly as possible.

He confirmed that by December 29, power restoration had begun and electricity supply had been successfully restored to all Olievenhoutbosch extensions.

Bokaba explained that switching was done in phases to ensure supply to all affected areas.

We visited the substation this morning. Our teams have worked extremely hard to ensure that power is restored following a fire that gutted the substation last week. @CityTshwane pic.twitter.com/S6bboUjLGa

— Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) December 31, 2025

“In the evening of December 24, a fire broke out at the Olievenhoutbosch Substation due to an act of vandalism that occurred on the downstream cable network. This caused an explosion at the substation, plunging Zwartkop, Thatchfield, and Olievenhoutbosch into darkness,” he said.

He reiterated that cable theft and infrastructure vandalism have become a perennial nightmare for Tshwane and many other metro municipalities, adding that the latest incident could not have been anticipated or prevented.

According to Bokaba, the city continues to prioritise the protection of critical infrastructure, despite limited resources.

He said this includes the deployment of security personnel and technology, particularly at in-feed substations.

“It is important to note that the cable theft incident occurred outside the substation perimeter. Security personnel had been deployed at the substation at the time of the incident and reacted swiftly after detecting a fire by alerting emergency services.”

He further pointed out that the Olievenhoutbosch Substation is located in an area heavily affected by illegal occupation and informal settlement encroachment, including road encroachment close to the facility, which significantly worsens operational and access challenges.

Bokaba acknowledged that it is not practical, technically possible, or financially feasible to guard the entire cable network continuously.

“To mitigate this challenge, the city is actively engaging local businesses – many of whom have responded positively – as well as ward councillors, to strengthen awareness campaigns around cable theft and its severe impact on communities,” he said.

He added that the security measures in place at the substation at the time of the fire were adequate, which explained why the theft occurred on the downstream network rather than inside the facility itself.

However, Bokaba clarified that the resulting fault ultimately affected the substation and led to the explosion.

The municipality has repeatedly condemned acts of cable theft and vandalism, warning that they place an enormous financial and operational burden on the city.

MMC for Utilities Frans Boshielo previously said that criminals were costing the metro between R8-million and R10-million annually through cable theft and infrastructure vandalism.

He explained that the city records about 2 000 unplanned power outages across its seven regions each month, with Region 3 experiencing the highest number of outages, followed by Regions 4 and 1, disrupting thousands of households and businesses.

“Theft and vandalism of electrical infrastructure are the main causes of these outages,” said Boshielo.

He warned that the problem has worsened, extending beyond cables to include the theft of critical electrical protection equipment such as tripping batteries, network control cables, and earthing conductors.

According to Boshielo, such acts not only undermine service delivery but also compromise the stability and safety of the electricity network.

Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies have intensified operations across the city to curb crime, including cable theft.

TMPD spokesperson Isaac Mahamba said that metro police were still enforcing the law even as the festive season drew to a close.

“On January 2, officers conducted highly intensive operations across the city to ensure the safety and compliance of vehicles on public roads and to prevent the movement and entry of illegal goods into the city,” he said.

Regarding infrastructure protection, Mahamba said that members of the TMPD cable theft unit received information about damage and tampering with critical infrastructure at a trench on 1st Avenue in Capital Park.

He explained that officers responded swiftly, secured the site, and arrested two suspects.

“One South African male suspect was charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, while a Zimbabwean male suspect was charged with contravention of the Immigration Act.”

He emphasised that the suspects arrested during the different operations were detained at local police stations.

Mahamba praised the efforts of metro police officers, saying their work was aimed at setting standards, providing assurance, and creating awareness among the public that their safety remained a priority.

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