Infrastructure vandalism threatens essential services
Eskom urges the community to report illegal connections, theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure.
Eskom, in a statement issued on February 16, explained that theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure have risen to disastrous proportions, threatening essential services and the lives of innocent people across Gauteng.
The power utility reported concerning levels of damage to its network such as transformers and substations, leading to prolonged outages to customers, including essential services.
On February 15, electricity supply to Rand Water in the City of Ekurhuleni was affected due to the vandalism of insulators at the Mapleton line, putting essential water supply at risk for residents of Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, Lesedi, Govan Mbeki and Thembisile Hani local municipalities.
According to Eskom, the vandalism and theft have extended to include pylons whose tower members are often stolen by unscrupulous criminal elements, resulting in the steel structures collapsing and posing extreme danger to members of the public.
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The vandalism and theft of infrastructure also come at a great financial loss to the power utility, which is forced to replace the same at significant and unsustainable costs, further threatening its liquidity and mandate to provide electricity.
A partnership with the public, among others, can serve a critical role in fighting the scourge of such criminal practices where community members become the eyes and ears of the electricity supplier.
Three men appeared before the Roodepoort Magistrate Court in January after being arrested following a tip-off from the community for being in possession of pylon tower members valued at R25 000.
This was a result of working together with the community and other stakeholders.
The power utility appeals to the public to partner with it in reducing electricity-related criminal activities by reporting illegal connections, theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure to the Eskom crime line number at 0800 112 722.
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