Theft of cables linking homes and businesses to City Power infrastructure has been on the increase in Johannesburg’s suburbs.
City Power has warned Johannesburg residents of a surge in theft of a specific type of cable.
Multiple households have reported outages in their streets, only to find a piece of essential infrastructure had been stolen from outside their properties.
Service cable theft
The service cable links homes and businesses to City Power infrastructure, and criminals have begun targeting these lines.
“[The service cable] runs from the electricity pole to the customer’s boundary wall and can either be suspended overhead or buried underground,” stated City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena.
“This cable is vital as it delivers electricity from the grid directly into the property. Without it, homes are effectively disconnected from the power network,” he added.
Frustratingly for the customer, should the service cable connection be severed, the replacement cost becomes the resident’s headache.
“According to City Power’s supply policy, the service cable on private property — from the pole to the home — is the customer’s responsibility,” Mangena stated.
“If it is damaged or stolen, the customer must repair or replace it at their own cost before City Power can reconnect supply.
“We advise residents to use only accredited electricians to ensure safety and compliance with installation standards,” he explained.
City Power have still been responding to these logged outages, with Mangena stressing that theft of service cables was delaying wider restoration times.
He thanked the private entities that were assisting City Power in keeping suburbs safer, but asked that role players be cautious.
“We urge all residents, community policing forums, neighbourhood watch groups, private security companies, and concerned citizens to be extra vigilant,” Mangena said.
“We also urge residents to report any suspicious activity around electricity poles, meters, or underground cables immediately by contacting our Risk Control on 0800 002 587,” he concluded.
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