The Rand West City Local Municipality (RWCLM) has given a comprehensive response to power outages currently being experienced in parts of town.
Areas affected include Finsbury, Glenharvie, Middelvlei, Venterspos and Hillshaven. The Herald has also heard that Hillshaven residents have a water supply shortage.
Also read: Power crisis in Venterspos continues, enters day 20
RWCLM spokesperson Phillip Montshiwa said in a media statement that the municipality would take steps to prevent further vandalism of infrastructure, and attributed the electricity shortage experienced in most areas to cable theft.
He said, “Cable theft means that people remove items such as underground cables illegally, strip substations and then sell the copper and steel to scrap dealers for money. In some instances the stolen conductor is used for illegal connections.
The common use of copper has caused an increase in second-hand copper prices which becomes a relatively easy reward for criminals. Moreover, the fact that copper is highly visible, easily accessible, poorly secured and fairly simple to steal and to sell makes it a target for criminals.”
Montshiwa added that copper cable holds a high monetary value and can be sold for a substantial amount per kilogram.
“Furthermore the scrap metal industry has become very lucrative with unscrupulous dealers simply buying any type of copper or steel, with no questions asked. The stolen copper is then exported to countries like China and India, and the same copper is then sold again to the very same country it had been stolen from,” Montshiwa explained.
Also read: Frustration grows as power outage in Venterspos enters day 6
In the same statement, Montshiwa said South Africa is facing a major problem in regards to copper and infrastructure theft as it has an extremely negative impact on all citizens and business customers.
He said the estimated loss due to copper theft in South Africa is approximately R5 billion per year, with RWCLM contributing a minimum of R5 million per year to that loss.
Montshiwa addressed the following areas and their own power problems with the respective plans to ward off criminal activity:
• Power outage in Finsbury:
“During the early hours of Saturday morning, August 28, an unknown syndicate targeted and illegally removed the main feeder cables between Aureus and Finsbury – approximately 80m MV cable were stolen, which resulted that the whole of Finsbury, Ten Acres, Middelvlei, Kocksoord and Peace Haven were without electricity for close to 18 hours.
RWCLM had to call in contractors to assist with replacing stolen cables. The electricity could only be restored at around 20:15 on Saturday due to the sheer amount of time and effort required to source and replace the stolen cable.”
• Long-term plan for Finsbury:
“The plan is to feed Finsbury substation from Lafarge intake substation which is approximately 500m away. RWCLM with the assistance of the developer of the Western Mega housing project is busy constructing a new substation building that is already completed.
“The switchgear has been ordered and due to Covid-19 regulations the completion of the switchgear has been delayed several times but is back on track currently. The new MV feeder cables have been ordered and will be delivered as soon as manufacturing has been completed.
The projection is that the electricity supply for Finsbury, Tenacres, Middelvlei, Peacehaven and Kocksoord could possibly be changed over to Lafarge as early as the end of October this year.”
• Power outage in Venterspos:
“Eskom is the main electricity supplier to the Venterspos substation where after RWCLM is responsible for distributing electricity to the residents. The challenges Eskom now experiences are that an unknown syndicate is targeting the Eskom steel pylons holding the cables that feed the Venterspos area.
Also read: No light at the end of the tunnel for Venterspos residents
“This syndicate was stealing the stay wires that keep the pylons upright. When they vandalise and remove the stay wires the pylons collapse, giving them access to the overhead power cables which they steal from the pylons. Eskom indicated that they would not replace the steel pylons due to the high cost involved, but that they would much rather supply the Venterspos area from a different Eskom intake point.
Eskom is currently constructing a new overhead power line from Westonaria approximately 6,5km away to the Venterspos residents. Eskom indicated that it would take approximately three weeks to complete the new overhead line.”
• Power outage in Glenharvie:
“During the early hours of Saturday morning, August 28, an unknown syndicate again targeted the main feeder cable towards Borwa. This theft incident resulted in all the metal-clad switchgear in the Glenharvie substation exploding.
“Due to the fact that no new switchgear is available to replace the damaged switchgear, and secondly due to the fact that many residents are without electricity, the Acting Electrical Manager in Westonaria decided to relocate existing spare switchgear from the Venterspos substation to the Glenharvie substation. A service provider was called in and is busy relocating the switchgear from the Venterspos substation, and it is being re-installed at the Glenharvie substation.”
• Long-term plan for Glenharvie substation:
The security at the Glenharvie substation will be increased and upgraded.
• Zero tolerance on cable theft:
“As mentioned elsewhere, South Africa is facing a major problem with copper and infrastructure theft, and it has a detrimental impact on all citizens.”
Also read: Venterspos power outage: ‘Plans in place to restore power temporarily’
Here’s what to look out for:
• Criminals posing as contractors allegedly working for RWCLM’s electricity section, removing cables illegally and installing illegal connections
• A substantial amount of theft takes place late at night or very early in the morning, so if you see ‘contractors’ removing cables at these odd times, regard it as suspicious
• Individuals walking around with cutting tools and equipment
• Suspicious vehicles like bakkies, trucks and minibuses with occupants pretending to conduct electrical work
• No signage on the vehicle
• Warning boards: Make sure you query by calling the Electricity Call Centre
TIPS
• Do not attempt to approach suspects
• Report suspicious activity to the electricity department’s call centre, police or the cable theft hotline
• Monitor the movements and details of suspicious people or vehicles
Montshiwa urged the public to contact the following if they suspect any criminal activity: the Electricity Call Centre on 087 238 2493, Cable Theft Hotline on 031 311 9611 or the police on 10111.
