MMC condemns rampant cable theft in Joburg

25th January 2021 By: Tasneem Bulbulia - Senior Contributing Editor Online

City of Johannesburg Environment and Infrastructure Services MMC Councillor Mpho Moerane has expressed concern about the increase in electricity cable theft incidents across the city. 

Since the start of the current financial year, cables worth over R14-million have been stolen.

This excludes the cost to the actual repair work to the infrastructure, and material, the department notes in a statement.

Since January 1, City Power has recorded 144 incidents of cable theft to the value of R2.2-million.

In December, there were 206 incidents of cable theft.

Moerane has called on law enforcement agencies, the South African Police Services, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, neighbourhood watches and the Community Police Forum to join City Power in curbing cable theft.

As part of its mitigation strategy, City Power has been replacing copper cables with aluminium bundle cables, which have no value to cable thieves.