Amoral ambitions refuse to allow for the preservation of peace and sanctity.
Bombarded with government-imposed rolling blackouts, the troubles of increasingly vulnerable residents are compounded by equally lecherous forces. The neatly scheduled period of revolving electrification gives thieves a perfect window in which to strike and the residents in a quiet corner of Ruimsig characterised by rustic dirt roads and picturesque beauty were pushed to breaking point due to malicious actions.
In the early hours of Thursday September 29, a trench was silently dug and several metres of cable stolen along Chestnut Road. For some, the electricity supply would only return roughly 72 hours later but for others it would not be for five days that what is fast becoming a luxury could be enjoyed again. The hours waiting for restoration would be spent in a limbo of anger, fear and restlessness.
Sean Kinnear has lived along Chestnut Road for almost 30 years and admits that the recent waves of criminality have been the worst he had experienced. In addition to regular cable theft, other properties in the area have experience frequently damaged electric fencing, and street-side distribution boxes are regularly tampered with. As part of his nightly routine, Sean now paces his boundary fence shining a light that may hopefully act as a deterrent.
City Power acknowledged the latest wave of incidents that has effected the greater Roodepoort region as of late September and early October. “Last week alone we had about eight mini-substations vandalised, 92 circuit breakers were stolen and three chambers were vandalised with nothing stolen,” said City Power spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, adding that as well as countless stolen cables, 82 fuses and 18 pillar boxes had been stolen in the last days of September.
“With these vandalisms occurring on a weekly basis it badly affects electricity supply to the residents. More particularly it affects our operating and material budgets at the deport that get depleted and it is putting too much pressure on our overtime bill,” said Mangena, highlighting the financial losses. Suggesting a bulking up of protective efforts, he added, “We are also planning collaborative efforts with private security companies, neighbourhood watches and the CPF to assist City Power in safeguarding electrical infrastructure”.
One of the community groups that would welcome added assistance has been fighting to keep infrastructure safe throughout 2022. The Honeydew Residents Association patrollers have become known as the ‘Power Rangers’ for their focus on chasing away would-be cable thieves. Roughly 30 patrollers take turns, sometimes alone, to drive around their streets in two-hour shifts looking to remove potential dangers. Unfortunately, the wide open spaces that residents love so much about their area are often exploited as escape routes or hiding places.
The frustrating loop of dead sockets, fault logging and cursing the municipal entities is common for many residents in the City. Whether in a sectional title development or a smallholding, not having electricity poses the same problems and the inconsistent power supply has ripple effects. The cry for a solution is deafening as the pendulum swings between those who wish to build and those who prefer a return to pre-industrial living.
