Eldoraigne substation that caught fire in May this year and is often targeted by criminals stealing cables. Picture: Jacques Naude / Independent Newspapers
In a bid to combat cable theft in region 4 the City of Tshwane will partner with local residents to tackle the persistent problem, which has caused frequent power outages in Eldoraigne and surrounding areas.
MMC Kholofelo Morodi said the community-driven initiative to combat cable theft in region 4 will be implemented before the festive season, with measures aimed at preventing the crime and mitigating its impact on the community.
She said Tshwane wants to engage stakeholders in an effort to protect substation infrastructure in Eldoraigne.
In May this year, the substation went up in flames, leaving in the dark residents in Wierdapark Ext 1, Celtisdal, Raslouw, Hennops Park and Eldoraigne.
There was a strong suspicion that cable vandalism and theft to the control cable feeding to the transformer could be behind the cause of the fire.
Morodi said: “I understand and empathise with the difficulties and frustrations that these disruptions have caused for residents and businesses.”
The continuous outages, she said, have mainly been due to repeated cable theft.
“However, the most recent outage, in which power was restored in the early hours of Tuesday, was due to a cable fault,” she said.
Morodi, who this week conducted an on-site inspection with some of the community stakeholders, said the City is actively exploring ways to address the cable theft problem head-on.
“This week, we will initiate further stakeholder engagements as we pursue a sustainable solution to the cable theft problem. Our strategy focuses on community involvement and participation, an approach that has proven effective in other areas of Tshwane,”she said.
She said the aim is to implement these measures as soon as possible, ideally before the festive season.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the residents and business owners who have stepped forward to assist the City in addressing these issues. Your proactive efforts and willingness to collaborate are invaluable and greatly appreciated,” she said.
Pretoria News
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za
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