Exposed cables found during Bellavista, Rosettenville and La Rochelle safety sweep
Joint operation targets infrastructure theft to restore power and safety in Southern Suburbs.
City Power and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department conducted a joint oversight operation on August 14 in Bellavista, Rosettenville, and La Rochelle to identify illegal electrical connections and infrastructure tampering.
The operation focused on locating exposed cables and unsafe connections resulting from criminal theft and vandalism of essential electricity infrastructure.
Teams moved through residential streets and business areas, tracing connections, removing illegal tie-ins, and documenting sites where infrastructure had been compromised.
Many exposed connections were identified during the sweep.
City Power said these will now be properly fixed and restored to eliminate safety hazards and help stabilise electricity supply across Joburg South, where load shedding and outages have been worsened by illegal activity.
“Illegal connections are not just a revenue loss; they are a direct threat to the lives of residents and our technicians,” said Isaac Mangena, City Power spokesperson.
“The exposed cables we found in Bellavista, Rosettenville and La Rochelle could have caused fires, electrocutions or further network failures. We are moving to repair and secure these sites so that law-abiding customers can have reliable and safe electricity.”
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said the operation also had a law enforcement focus.
“Our role is to support City Power and ensure the safety of both officials and the community while we deal with those tampering with critical infrastructure,” said Fihla.
“Cable theft and illegal connections are criminal offences. We will continue with high-visibility patrols and arrests where necessary to protect public infrastructure.”
Authorities said the joint operation will continue in other parts of the southern region in the coming weeks as part of efforts to reduce outages, prevent accidents, and recover lost revenue.
Residents with information about illegal connections or cable theft are urged to report it to City Power or JMPD via 011 375 5911 or 0860 562 874 or 0860-JOBURG.
