SOWETAN | Act on cable theft and vandalism

It’s been a rough start to the year for many residents of Johannesburg whose homes have been plunged into darkness despite some temporary reprieve from load shedding in the past few days.

Power outages have become a defining feature of the city with the entity responsible for electricity supply, City Power, reporting an alarming number of calls by frustrated residents daily.

If the entity’s social media pages are anything to go by, cable theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure has reached worrying proportions in the city.

Although the cause of the outages in general seems to vary from one area to another, the most common cause across the city appears to be cable theft and vandalism. City Power, which has been battling to deal with the problem for years now, is making a plea to communities and law enforcement to help stem the tide.

“The fight against cable theft and vandalism, which are a major cause of supply disruptions in the city, requires deliberate and concerted effort from law enforcement agencies with the help of the communities we operate in,” said City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena.

Many families reported on the power utility’s social media pages of having to throw away food stored in refrigerators during the festive season as keeping it longer involved hygiene and safety risks. Others bitterly complained about appliances that blew up due to power surges when power returned after days of darkness.

Businesses in the city and affected areas also lose trading as customers stay away during outages when streets are dark and those who trade in perishable goods simply lose their stock. Crimes such as robberies and house breakings also become common during this period. These further underscores why this situation is becoming unbearable and must be addressed before it gets out of control.

It needs leadership, which the city has unfortunately been lacking for a while now. Without leadership and clear strategy to fight this scourge, residents of Johannesburg have been left on their own to bear the brunt of the criminality that is depriving some of their livelihood.

Cable theft and vandalism of infrastructure requires a coordinated plan by the city working with other state agencies and society to stop it as it also threatens our national stability.