Community comes together to secure their substation and prevent going weeks without power

After struggling without power for days a few times already, the community of Georginia all chipped in to secure their substation hoping to deter vandals from damaging it again.

Resident Werner Steenekamp said: “We as a community contributed and secured the substation ourselves. People have lost food and appliances after the substation was vandalised.”

He noted the locks of the substation had been cut off on many occasions, so they added locks to the doors as well as secured the windows that allow airflow into the substation. He noted these windows are only made from wood and thus easy to break into. He continued they also added a gate in front of the substation’s door, with locks, to prevent people from entering. He noted they then put a notice on the door of contact numbers if City Power wanted to enter the substation. This came after the transformer was broken out and the copper was stolen.

He noted he is not being affected by this particular substation, however, he believes they are all one community and so chose to contribute. He noted Ward 84 councillor Johannes Goosen also made a contribution to secure the substation.

Mervyn Golden, another resident, added they also had a clean-up operation just before Christmas where they cleaned the area next to the substation and cut the bushes.

Goosen added: “For me, it is about what is in the best interest of the community. I am very thankful to the community for taking the initiative. Other communities go without power for three to four weeks, which is unacceptable. I am grateful to the community for deciding enough is enough, for taking leadership, and also for being an example for other communities.”

Steenekamp concluded: “This does not mean the substation will never be vandalised again, but we hope thieves will think twice before attempting to vandalised this one again.”