(Slowly) Winning the fight against cable theft
Despite efforts to curb it, cable theft is still the biggest threat to electricity stability.
The illicit copper trade still poses the single greatest threat to electricity stability in the greater Roodepoort region, with ageing infrastructure coming in at a close second.
The Record reported in March last year that cable theft – and the resulting damage to electricity infrastructure – had cost City Power R52m in the preceding six months.
This prompted the entity to introduce aluminium cables and components, which hold little to no value on the black market, in the hopes of outsmarting the highly organised copper theft syndicates.
Compared to copper, aluminium is a slightly less effective conductor, not nearly as strong, more prone to corrosion, and therefore has a significantly shorter lifespan.
City Power admitted they are still battling to keep up with theft, vandalism and mounting repair costs. This, even though efforts to combat copper theft have resulted in a 28% drop in incidents from last year.
According to City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena, Wilgeheuwel, Honeydew and Ruimsig remain hotspots for criminals targeting essential infrastructure.
“Cables, mini-substations and distribution boards are being stripped at alarming rates, disrupting power supply and delaying service improvements.”
Mangena confirms that theft and vandalism in Roodepoort from January to June cost the city more than R11m – excluding labour and revenue lost.
“When the power is off, not only are residents inconvenienced, but we lose income because customers are not consuming electricity,” he says.
“These crimes hit our finances and delay maintenance and upgrades that communities urgently need.”
Mangena adds that despite these challenges, City Power is making progress in curbing copper theft.
“Since January, over 170 arrests have been made throughout Johannesburg. Convictions are also on the rise, with some criminals receiving prison sentences of up to 12 years.”
Mangena, while admitting that there have been some complications, emphasises that community involvement has proved critical to effectively protecting electrical infrastructure.
“Initiatives like the Honeydew Power Rangers and other local surveillance efforts, including 17 security cameras in Honeydew and Laserpark, help protect vulnerable infrastructure.
“We welcome partnerships with residents, security companies and neighbourhood groups,” he says. “The fight against copper theft depends on vigilance from everyone.”
