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Thugs are undoing City Power’s work, costing us over R300 million
During this past week’s Visible Service Delivery committee meeting at the City of Joburg council chambers, City Power representatives estimated that the cost of the vandalism and theft of its infrastructure and equipment has surpassed R300 million.
This was cited as the biggest reason to the slowness in delivering electrification of streets in some areas of our city.
Criminals are vandalising street poles, stealing supply cables and newly installed equipment such as Aerial Bundle Conductors all over the city. This includes areas such the Crown Interchange, the Heidelberg/Joe Slovo interchange, and the Grayston pedestrian bridge lights. There has also been a high number of illegal connections which result in street light sections being cut off by Eskom, because illegal connections damage the supply transformers. All of this is having an impact on the quality of service the city is trying to deliver.
There has been many instances of substations being robbed and valuable equipment being stolen from these sites. It means that while the city is busy with major and necessary upgrades, it is faced with all that work being undone by criminals – and, of course, millions from its budget going down the drain.
Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba said: “There are thugs who want to see us fail, those who think of nobody else but themselves and their selfish gains. We cannot allow these brazen criminals to threaten the delivery of services in our City. It must not happen at all.”
He added that having working streetlights aids with prevention of night-time accidents and crime; and as such, urged residents to report the theft and vandalism of street lights to 011 490 7900, report defective street lights to 0860 562 874, or by going onto the City Power website on www.citypower.co.za
The City also encourages residents to report any fraud and corruption activities through its 24-hour tipoff hotline 0800 002 587 or visit the offices of GFIS situated at 48 Ameshoff Street, Braamfontein. You may also call the JMPD on 011 375 5911.
