Councillors confirmed to the Herald on Tuesday morning (4 February) that a substation and electricity box had either been burgled or vandalised in their respective wards, leading to long hours of blackouts in Randfontein recently.
According to Ward 4 councillor, Cina Erasmus, the substation on the corner of Henning and Market Streets in Randgate was stripped of its cables.
Read more:
Clarity on the power outage woes in R’fontein
I noticed that its door was open, and the Electricity Department investigated. They confirmed that cables had been stolen from the substation,” she said.
Peter Dick, Ward 9 councillor reported that the electricity box on Betty Street in Wilbotsdal near Afri Village also had its cables stolen.
Although councillor Ellik de Lange had received a number of complaints from the residents, he said he was unable to get confirmation whether a substation or electricity box in his area had been targeted.
Although none of the electricity boxes in his ward were targeted by thieves and vandals, Ward 7 councillor Craig Harrison said substations and electricity boxes are usually broken into during load-shedding.
“In my ward the municipality has reinforced the substation to prevent it being vandalised. It is a lengthy process but they are trying to do the same with all the electricity boxes and substations in the wards,” Harrison said.
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