North areas suffer blow to the tune of more than R6m due to cable theft
The metro has disclosed that Region 1, encompassing areas such as Rosslyn, Akasia, Pretoria North, Soshanguve, and Winterveldt, has experienced 243 incidents of cable theft since November 2024.
The cost of repairing infrastructure damaged by these thefts amounts to more than R6.78-million for materials alone, excluding labour expenses.
The incidents have led to frequent power outages, disrupting daily life and business operations.
Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo emphasised the broader impact of cable theft, noting that it is a significant contributor to service delivery interruptions.
'Out of 1.1 million outages recorded across Tshwane last year, a substantial portion of up to 30% is attributed directly to theft and vandalism of power infrastructure,' stated Mashigo.
MMC for Finance Eugene Modise said the metro has allocated more than R565-million to the installation of CCTV cameras, the recruitment of 200 more metro police officers from January, and deployment of security personnel to protect its assets, including electricity infrastructure.
'Tshwane is woefully under-protected and we are pursuing a consolidated asset protection strategy that includes both physical security and advanced technological solutions,' said Modise.
He added that the metro plans to incorporate modern technology, such as motion detectors and smart surveillance tools, to support and strengthen the efforts of ground security teams.
Rosslyn, a key industrial hub in Region 1, has been particularly affected.
The Rosslyn Improvement District (RID) has reported disruptions to manufacturing and logistics operations due to the outages.
Nico Venter of RID said the district has collaborated with security companies to enhance security measures, including the installation of motion detectors and CCTV cameras at main entrances and increased patrols.
'We are putting up CCTV cameras and motion detectors in some of the electrical infrastructure in the Rosslyn area. And should any suspicious vehicle come into Rosslyn, it is going to be recognised,' said Venter.
Residents have expressed growing frustration over the recurring power outages.
Akasia resident Joyce Coetzee highlighted the daily challenges posed by the lack of electricity.
'We depend on electricity for everything, from running our appliances to maintaining a comfortable home, and even for our children's education.
'We've been living in the darkness too often lately, and it's unfair. Service delivery continues to be an issue, and our voices are being ignored.'
The metro has taken steps to address the issue. Plans are underway to install surveillance cameras at substations undergoing refurbishment.
'This will assist the security personnel to see any intruders at our substations and react on time,' said Mashigo.
He said the metro is exploring long-term strategies, such as replacing overhead cables with underground alternatives, to deter theft.
However, the feasibility of this solution is limited by physical constraints, such as the availability of servitudes and space to install cables at the required depth of 1m to 1.5m.
Residents are urged to participate in community policing forums (CPFs) and assist in neighbourhood patrols to safeguard infrastructure.
'Community members are at liberty to join the CPFs and/or assist in patrolling their neighbourhoods,' said Mashigo.
Cable theft in Region 1 of Tshwane has posed a significant challenge, impacting both the economy and quality of life for residents.
While the city is implementing measures to combat the issue, community involvement remains crucial in safeguarding essential infrastructure and ensuring consistent service delivery.
Nicky Smit of Maximum Security said they continue to patrol the electricity infrastructure in the north in efforts to combat cable theft.
Jacques Venter, Representative of the United Independent Movement, said the cable theft situation is not only a severe inconvenience but a blatant infringement on these citizens' rights to essential services.
He said children need to go to school, be clean and eat a meal, while old and sick people depend on oxygen to survive.
'There are several old age homes as well as frail care facilities in Akasia that are dependent on electricity and water to care for people who desperately need medical care to be able to live, and without basic services, how would they survive?
'Should we just accept that they have to die because Tshwane has no urgency to attend to and fix the problem?'
He said they demand transparency and accountability, not promises and misinformation.
'The residents were told to buy the needed fuses themselves, which cost them R3 600, which is, as a matter of fact, theft by Tshwane metro.
'They were also told by Tshwane Rosslyn that they can go ahead and fit the fuses themselves. The money that residents had to spend on fuses that were needed is unacceptable. Why was it not outsourced from another municipal area?'
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