City Power warns against digging during loadshedding. Photo: City Power/ Facebook
City Power prohibits digging during LOADSHEDDING to curb vandalism
City Power says in the 1st quarter of the Financial Year, 17 mini substations were vandalised, each costs a minimum of R800 000.
City Power warns against digging during loadshedding. Photo: City Power/ Facebook
City Power has taken a stance to prohibit any form of digging in areas where there is load shedding due to tampering and theft of the electricity infrastructure.
HIGHER STAGES OF LOAD SHEDDING A HEADACHE FOR CITY POWER
This was after the power utility noticed a mounting increase in theft and vandalism of the Roodepoort electrical network infrastructure, especially during high stages of load shedding. This has subsequently led to increased unplanned outages.
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The power utility says theft and vandalism are becoming a vexing point on the side of both the company and customers. “We, therefore, continue to urge the community to continue being vigilant and adopt a watchdog role. This will assist City Power in curbing or minimising these infrastructural attacks.
“No City Power personnel, contractors or any other municipal person or civilians are supposed to be digging, or claiming to be working on the electrical network infrastructure in the areas where load shedding is taking place,” the entity said.
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FORMER AND CURRENT EMPLOYEES ARE NOT RULED OUT
“We do not rule out the involvement of our employees or contractors(current and former) in these incidents, and law enforcement agencies have their radar on some individuals of interest,” the utility added.
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The community is encouraged to report any suspicious activity on the network to City Power immediately and, where possible, to do citizen arrest to curb the theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure phenomenon during load shedding.
THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY VANDALISM
“In the 1st quarter of the 2023/2024 Financial Year, 17 mini substations were vandalised. Each mini substation costs a minimum of R800 000.”
City Power
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“We have deployed our security personnel to strategic and hot spot areas, and we urge the police to do more to trace and arrest the perpetrators of these crimes which border on economic sabotage against the state and terrorism,” the utility shed light on its security strategy.
