Eskom customers across the South Coast experienced prolonged electricity supply interruptions due to cable theft and vandalism at the Sezela substation on July 28.

Some of the areas affected include Mtwalume, Pennington, Bazley Beach, Ifafa Beach, Ifafa, Qoloqolo, Malangeni and Elysium.

According to Eskom, the vandalism and theft are believed to have occurred during the early hours of that morning. This resulted in damage to protection and plant cabling and affected roughly 7000 customers. In such cases, all electricity infrastructure should be treated as live and dangerous.

Technicians were on site over the weekend working to restore power.

It was also mentioned that Eskom Security worked together with local law enforcement authorities to investigate the incidents.

The public is encouraged to assist by reporting any suspicious activity to the Eskom Crime Line on 0800-112-722 or to the nearest police station.

With cable theft rife in different parts of the province, successful sentencing of suspects often sends out a strong message.

KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, recently welcomed the convictions and sentences handed down by the Scottburgh Magistrate’s Court after a R1-m cable theft case in eThekwini Municipality.

This outcome follows the arrest and successful prosecution of three people involved in stripping and burning municipal electricity cables in Umkhomazi in 2022. The offenders received direct imprisonment sentences ranging from three to 15 years.

Buthelezi commended the close collaboration between the police and the municipality’s infrastructure theft division, emphasising that such harsh sentences demonstrate that the justice system will deal decisively with those who sabotage local development.

“We welcome these convictions and sentences as a victory not only for eThekwini, but for the entire province,” he said.

“Municipalities across KZN are losing millions of rands every year due to persistent cable theft, infrastructure damage, and vandalism. This illegal activity is crippling municipal operations and impacting the delivery of basic services, including electricity, clean water provision, and sanitation facilities.”

The MEC spoke out against infrastructure crime, describing it as economic sabotage that deprives KZN communities of essential services. He emphasised that a clear message must be sent to criminals: damaging public infrastructure carries severe consequences.

He also called on residents and communities across the province to join hands with government and law enforcement, noting that community vigilance is their strongest defence, and that reporting cable theft and vandalism protects the very services that sustain daily lives.

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