Illegal connections and cable theft are prevalent challenges the City of Ekurhuleni is faced with on a daily basis.
This is according to city spokesperson Themba Gadebe and in response to an article published in the Herald’s July 10 edition ‘Strong show of force shuts down illegal connections‘.
It was reported that approximately 30km of illegally connected electricity cables were removed in the Plastic City informal settlement on July 1.
The cables were removed during an operation conducted by Bidvest (security services), the Brakpan SAPS Task Team and members of the Brakpan Radio Group.
The illegal connections supplied electricity to numerous households within the informal settlement and it took several hours for the cables to be removed.
A similar operation was also conducted in the Location Road informal settlement.
Bidvest has been appointed to assist the Ekurhuleni Energy Department with the removal of illegal connections, as well as providing security due to violent resistance encountered in the past.
Gadebe explained that the removal of illegal connections is part of the response the municipality regularly executes, but residents and the community at large also need to play a role in combatting cable theft by reporting it to the SAPS, EMPD or energy department.
“The city has appointed a security service provider to assist in technological surveillance, intelligence gathering and cable patrols,” he said.
Gadebe confirmed the illegal connections impact the area’s electricity supply and told the Herald that illegal connections, vandalism and cable theft results in damage to electricity infrastructure thereby affecting the electrical distribution installations and affecting residents through increased power outages.
Accompanied by members of the Brakpan SAPS Task Team and Brakpan Radio Group, the Herald conducted a follow-up visit to Plastic City on Thursday, last week, and found no new illegal connections.
Questioned on whether the Plastic City and Location Road informal settlements would receive proper electricity infrastructure, Gadebe stated Plastic City is a beneficiary community of the Brakpan Extension 13 project (Brakpan Old Location) that is being implemented by the Human Settlements Department.
The Herald first reported about this Mixed-Use Housing Project in December 2017 and phase one of the development got underway towards the end of last year.
It was previously confirmed by the municipality that residents from the Plastic City informal settlement will be moved to the area.
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