Residents urged to protect municipal infrastructure
Electricity cables were recently stolen from the Chamberlain substation, resulting in the loss of electricity supply to nearby communities.

THE ward 68 councillor Aubrey Snyman is urging the public to take a stand in protecting municipal infrastructure following the theft of electricity cables from a monitoring kiosk, leading to a significant power outage in the Chamberlain substation.
The theft, which occurred earlier last week, resulted in the loss of electricity supply to the entire Chamberlain substation, leaving residents without power.
Also read: Circuit trip at major substation leaves Durban without electricity
Snyman has strongly condemned the crime and highlighted the dangerous consequences that such thefts have on the community.
“People need to report immediately to the authorities when they witness any suspicious activities. Theft of valuable property is an attack on the very infrastructure that powers our homes and businesses,” he said.
The stolen cables were critical in monitoring and maintaining electricity supply to the substation, which is a central node in the area’s power distribution network.
The power supply to the Chamberlain substation was restored shortly after the incident, but the damage caused by the theft is still being assessed.
EThekwini Municipality recently reported that cable theft and illegal connections are some of the main challenges crippling electricity distribution in various areas of Durban. In the 2022 financial year the council reported to have spent over R40 million to replace stolen cables throughout eThekwini.
Also read: Prepare for an eight-hour planned power outage
Residents are encouraged to stay vigilant and to report any unusual activity around municipal facilities to local law enforcement.
Vandalism in municipal infrastructure seems to be spiraling out of control, and this is a huge inconvenience to the residents.
In Montclair, cables were cut from an electricity pole on Montclair Road on January 17. According to the Montclair Crime Eye Group, a man was caught climbing up the pole from the local school. However, the perpetrator was distracted and fled immediately before the law enforcement agencies arrived.
Snyman condemned the crime and urged the community to take a stand against vandalism to municipal infrastructure.
How to report cable theft in eThekwini?
Any suspicion of cable theft or damage to infrastructure must be reported to the SAPS on 10111 and the Metro Police emergency line on 031 361 0000.
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