Residents in Fleurhof were left without power after two people set a mini substation alight at 02:15 on Saturday, October 10.

In a statement issued by the state owned power utility, City Power said operators were on site investigating the matter and updates would be provided as work progressed.

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Affected areas include Extension 9, Emnandini Heights, Legacy Hill, and parts of Fleurhof Lifestyle Estate.

City Power investigates early-hours attack

According to City Power’s preliminary security report, two individuals entered the site unlawfully and set the equipment alight. Security personnel spotted the intruders and called for backup, while police responded and arranged assistance from Emergency Management Services, which extinguished the fire.

City Power said information gathered during enquiries at a nearby petrol station indicated that a man had purchased R70 worth of petrol around midnight before walking in the direction of the incident site.

The utility stressed that further investigation would be needed to determine whether the petrol purchase was linked to the attack.

In an update, City Power confirmed that its enquiries had so far involved speaking to the petrol station management. The utility is still investigating whether the individual who purchased the petrol was directly linked to the incident.

It remains unclear whether police have verified the petrol station’s CCTV footage or identified the individual who bought the petrol.

By 17:30 on October 10, City Power media liaison officer Zaheera Vrey confirmed that operators were still assessing the situation. No estimated time for power restoration had been given.

No estimated time for power restoration had been provided for Extension 9, Emnandini Heights, Legacy Hill, and parts of Fleurhof Lifestyle Estate as assessments continued.

Infrastructure damage condemned

Acting City Power CEO Charles Tlouane condemned the attack.

“We condemn this barbaric act. Deliberately setting a mini substation alight destroys an essential service and leaves communities to suffer the consequences.

We regard the deliberate destruction of essential public infrastructure as a crime against the state and its people,” Tlouane said.

According to City Power, vandals damaged approximately 16 mini substations in Roodepoort between January and June 2026. Each unit costs between R700 000 and R800 000 to replace, excluding labour and restoration costs.

The replacement value of those 16 units alone amounted to between R11.2m and R12.8m, before additional restoration expenses and subsequent attacks, the utility revealed.

Police arrested two suspects on August 17 after an attack on the Reyger Switching Station in Witpoortjie.

Tlouane said the latest incident added weight to earlier warnings and strengthened their call for urgent police intervention.

He called on SAPS to heighten intelligence gathering, speed up arrests, and investigate the links between these attacks to establish who is organising, financing, and carrying them out.

Residents urged to report suspicious activity

The utility urged residents, businesses, community policing forums, and neighbourhood security structures to report suspicious activity around electricity installations.

Suspicious activity can be reported to City Power’s Security Risk Management Control Room on 011 490 7900, 011 490 7911, or 011 490 7553. Residents can also send reports via WhatsApp to 083 579 4497 or contact SAPS.

The Record will update its readers once more information comes to light.