Exposed cables frustrate community
Exposed cables stolen and cut four times in a month were the reason for many residents of Benoni Agricultural Holdings and Vlakfontein having to live without electricity on numerous occasions.
The two poles (along which the cables travel) are situated on Elm Road in the Benoni AH and distribute electricity to the two areas.
“There were four incidents in which the cables were cut or stolen during the month of August,” said Vlakfontein resident Michelle van Niekerk.
Van Niekerk, who is also a Crystal Park Community Policing Forum (CPF) member, queried why a new substation was built in the agricultural area in 2015, and why all the cables were placed underground, except for those on the poles in Elm Road.
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) spokesperson Themba Gadebe explained that the underground cables feed the line circuit which forms part of the already existing distribution poles.
“Cables are replaced when a need for replacement has been identified,” he said.
Van Niekerk also queried why residents were told by the EMM customer care call centre that they had no electricity due to a ”cable fault” when cables were stolen.
“When the electrical network is tampered with, due to cable theft, it results in a cable fault,” Gadebe responded.
“Ekurhuleni technicians work tirelessly in an effort to reduce the inconvenience to customers when a service interruption occurs.”
Another query which was raised by residents was if they would be compensated for rotten groceries and goods which were spoiled due to no electricity, but the EMM said that, according to the electricity by-laws, they are not liable for the loss of these goods.
“The council shall not be liable for the consequences to the consumer or any other person, of stoppage, variation, surge or any other deficiency of electricity from whatsoever cause, provided that compliance with the Electricity Act is maintained,” Gadebe added.
One of the biggest concerns, which came from a Vlakfontein resident, was the spike in her electricity bill since the thefts, which made her ask whether the bills were increased to pay for the stolen cables.
“The increase in the customer’s electricity consumption has no relation to the theft incident,” Gadebe responded.
“However, the customer is encouraged to visit the billing offices at their nearest customer care centre in Benoni, to have the account checked and meter readings confirmed.
“All cables or equipment damaged or lost due to vandalism and theft are replaced or repaired from funds on the operating budget.”
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