Police are closing in on a syndicate whose criminal activities affect every Roodepoort resident.
On Sunday 13 November, a suspect was caught attempting to steal electricity cables on Main Reef Road in Creswell Park. Officials patrolling the area detected suspicious behaviour and swiftly apprehended the suspect. The suspect has been linked to another cable theft incidents in Roodepoort.
Reports from authorities suggest a syndicate of illegal miners (zama-zamas) operating in the old Durban Deep mine resorted to stealing cables because their attempts to retrieve gold were unsuccessful. Authorities have received intelligence with specific details about the syndicate and are closing in on it.
Approximately 45 per cent of power outages in City Power’s areas of operation is caused by cable theft, creating a considerable challenge to service delivery efforts. City Power has installed pole-to-ground sleeves and aerial bundled conductors across Johannesburg to deter thieves from cutting cables and bare overhead conductors. Aerial bundled conductors are made of aluminium and are of no value to cable thieves.
City Power has been conducting educational awareness campaigns in communities most affected by cable theft and is engaging with private security firms and the police to help the public understand the impact of theft and vandalism on electrical infrastructure.
City Power has its own response vehicles patrolling high-risk areas. However, because of the large areas, it is difficult to prevent every incident without assistance from the affected communities.
Residents are requested to be on the lookout for suspicious construction vehicles parked close to electrical networks, whether marked or unmarked. Community members should also be on the lookout for:
*Criminals posing as City Power contractors
*’Contractors’ removing cables late at night or very early in the morning as most thefts happen during these abnormal hours. They should regard this as suspicious behaviour and report it
*People removing overhead cables without a job card from City Power
*Suspicious vehicles with occupants pretending to conduct maintenance
*Vehicle with no signage
Citizens are encouraged not to approach suspects because they could be armed and dangerous. Instead community members are urged to monitor suspicious individuals and vehicles in the neighbourhood, write down vehicle registration numbers, and be able to describe persons and their clothing to assist authorities in following up. All suspicious activity must be reported to City Power’s call centre or control room, which operates 24 hours a day, on the following numbers: 011 490 7911/ 7900/ 7553, or on the toll-free number 0800 0025 87.
As a phenomenon, cable theft is not unique to South Africa. Rising international copper prices have led to a surge in cable theft in recent years. Countries such as Canada and Switzerland have also experienced a spike in cable theft, fuelled by increasing demand for copper from China. Thieves often target pipes and electrical cables for copper. They also vandalise electricity substations for transformers and metal coils.
Cable theft is estimated to cost the South African economy about R5 billion a year – directly and indirectly. Apart from the cost of replacing the infrastructure and damaged equipment, cable theft contributes to increased electricity tariffs for ordinary South Africans.
Government has also passed the Criminal Matters Amendment Act 18 of 2015, which seeks to impose more stringent sentences on those convicted of cable theft. Under the new law convicted offenders can get prison sentences for up to 102 years for cable theft. City Power welcomes this legislation.
Also read:
Tough cookies for electricity thieves
