Cable theft leaves several suburbs without power
Another cable theft incident has left several Roodepoort communities in the dark.
City Power says there is currently no estimated time for repairs following another large-scale cable theft incident in the early hours of Tuesday, March 10.
According to City Power’s general manager for Public Relations and Communications, Isaac Mangena, the theft involved a 33kV cable and is affecting several areas supplied through the Roodepoort network.
Residents in Bergbron, Whiteridge, Florida Glen, Quellerina, Northcliff, Delarey and Industria North are currently without electricity.
“Technical teams from City Power, together with the Roodepoort Service Delivery Centre, have been dispatched to the affected site and are assessing the full extent of the damage caused by the theft,” says Mangena.
Initial assessments indicate that the incident has significantly impacted key sections of the network.
Mangena says residents will be updated as repairs progress.
“Once the assessment is completed, the team will begin the urgent process of sourcing the required replacement materials and initiating repairs.
“Due to the complexity of replacing 33kV infrastructure, restoration work can only begin once the extent of the damage has been fully determined and the necessary materials secured.”
This is the third cable theft incident reported in Roodepoort in the past two weeks. Two people have also died after allegedly attempting to steal cables.
Also read: One dies following attempted cable theft at Manufacta substation
Mangena condemns the ongoing theft and vandalism, saying it places enormous strain on the power network and disrupts essential services to residents and businesses.
“These criminal acts not only cause prolonged outages but also divert critical resources that could otherwise be used to improve and maintain the electricity supply,” he says.
Residents are urged to report any suspicious activity around electrical infrastructure, including unauthorised individuals near substations, damaged access points, or people carrying cables or cutting equipment.
Incidents can be reported to the City Power Security Risk Management Control Room on 011 490 7900, 011 490 7911 or 011 490 7553, or via WhatsApp on 083 579 4497.
