Residents demand clearance of overgrown greenbelts

Residents are urging City Power and Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo to take immediate action in addressing overgrown vegetation along greenbelts and under power lines, as criminals continue to exploit these areas to steal vital infrastructure.

Over the past few months, cable theft has escalated, with the latest incident occurring in February.

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According to community members, the dense vegetation provides cover for criminals, making it easier for them to target electrical infrastructure. Despite local efforts to maintain the area, financial constraints make it difficult for residents to manage large-scale trimming. With load-shedding schedules looming, the urgency to secure power infrastructure has intensified.

In response to media enquiries, City Power general manager Isaac Mangena confirmed the growing concern over cable theft in the area, stating that the entity has intensified its efforts to combat infrastructure vandalism.

“City Power has stretched its resources to increase boots on the ground, ensuring that hotspot areas such as Wilgeheuwel have regular patrols in place. We are also in the process of replacing copper cables, which are more prone to theft due to their resale value, with alternative materials that are less attractive to criminals,” he said.

He added that strategic changes, such as relocating certain underground cables to overhead installations, are being implemented to make access more difficult for thieves.

City Power has also increased collaboration with law enforcement, resulting in over 30 arrests in the past two months related to cable theft and vandalism.

“We have adopted a zero-tolerance policy against theft and vandalism, which is evident in the number of arrests and case convictions we have recorded recently. This includes arrests of some contractors and even City Power employees found to be involved in these crimes.”

City Power confirmed that it has recorded at least 50 outages in the past three months at the Peter Road Substation, Florin Road Switching Station and Ruimsig Switching Station. The most affected areas include Sterretjie and Sjampanje streets and Lifestyle Crossing. In some cases, criminals have stolen cable segments exceeding 5km in length, particularly in areas where cables run through riverbanks.

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Mangena also linked the rise in cable theft to illegal mining activities, stating that zama zamas (illegal miners) often double as cable thieves.

“We have repeatedly called for law enforcement agencies to crack down on these illegal miners, as their activities contribute significantly to infrastructure theft, particularly in Roodepoort.”

City Power says it has increased security personnel in hotspot areas and is working with residents who have volunteered to extend their private security services to protect infrastructure.

Mangena added that the entity is also deploying advanced technology to detect theft in real time and respond more efficiently. Additionally, City Power has engaged the police’s Service Essential Infrastructure Task Team to strengthen its fight against cable theft and is working with law enforcement to target scrap metal dealers who may be purchasing stolen cables.

On the issue of overgrown vegetation, City Power confirmed that Johannesburg City Parks is responsible for clearing vegetation around electricity infrastructure.

“We work closely with them to ensure that any vegetation encroaching on our servitude or obstructing visibility is promptly cleared. We have engaged with them specifically regarding Wilgeheuwel to ensure that visibility and security around our infrastructure are maintained,” Mangena said.

The Roodepoort Northside approached Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo for comment and and none has been received at the time of publication.

Given the vast scale of City Power’s network comprising over 18 000km of underground cables and more than 300 000 streetlights, the entity urges residents to report any suspicious activity immediately and residents should request a job card, a wayleave (permit for work on municipal land), a City Power-issued ID, and a confirmation of the work order from City Power as verification from anyone working on electrical infrastructure.

If these cannot be provided, residents are urged to report the matter to City Power’s 24-hour Security Control Centre at 011 490 7900 or 011 490 7553 or 0800 116 166. Alternatively, they can send a WhatsApp with incident details, photos, and location to 083 579 4497.