City Power and Douglasdale police investigate cable theft
FOURWAYS - City Power, in conjunction with Douglasdale police and Metro police, perform joint operations to investigate cable theft and illegal scrap metal dealers in hotspots in the community in order to stop illegal cable dealing operations.
Head of communications for Douglasdale Police Station, Warrant Officer Balan Muthan said, “City Power is in partnership with the police in order to curb cable theft. They have inspectors who check the area for cable theft-related cases, who even check for alleged stolen cables at scrapyards, and they also have horseback riders who routinely patrol the Fourways area.”
Spokesperson for City Power, Yumna Sheik said that they were also installing pole-to-ground sleeves and aerial bundled conductors across Johannesburg. They stated that this was to deter thieves from cutting cables and bare overhead conductors.
City Power also stated that their own response vehicles patrol high-risk areas for theft and vandalism, and due to large areas, it proves difficult to prevent every incident without assistance from affected communities.
Sheik said, “In addition, aerial bundled conductors are made of aluminium and are of no value to cable thieves. We are also conducting educational awareness campaigns in communities most affected by cable theft, and we are also engaging with private security companies, as well as the police, to help them understand the impact of theft and vandalism on electrical infrastructure.
“Residents should be on the lookout for suspicious construction vehicles working on our electrical network, whether marked or unmarked. We encourage residents to report incidents of cable theft or suspected criminal activity, as this enables us to track trends and can dispatch resources to where they are needed most.”
They urged for residents to report any suspicious activities to City Power’s control room, which operates 24 hours a day.
“Besides the cost of replacing the infrastructure and damaged equipment, cable theft contributes to increased electricity tariffs and prices for ordinary South Africans,” Sheik concluded.
City Power advised the community to immediately report street poles without covers and any open substations.
Details: 011 490 7911/7900/7553; 0800 003 251.
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