Joburg is battling cable theft and City Power says its budget is not to focus on responding to the increasing crime which often plunges areas into darkness.
The power utility’s CEO Tshifularo Mashava says its cables are being harvested for illegal connections, while executive of operations, Charles Tlouane, says vandalism and theft have cost the entity R114m. Head of security Sergeant Thela, says they are making strides to keep infrastructure safe. Sowetan speaks to them
Sowetan: How is the budget allocated between infrastructure upgrades and emergency repairs?
Tlouane: Upgrades fall under capital projects, which amount to about R1.2bn. This includes refurbishing substations, acquiring new transformers and upgrading equipment. Operational expenses which cover daily maintenance total around R1bn. We have over 300 substations that need to be maintained regularly. One of our biggest challenges is criminality, particularly cable theft. Electricity infrastructure is critical and disrupting it is an attack on the state. We need stricter laws around scrap metal trading, as scrapyards create a market for stolen cables. Our primary role is to restore power, not to police criminal activity, but we are forced to take on security responsibilities to protect our infrastructure.
Sowetan: How has City Power been dealing with cable theft and vandalism?
Thela: We are winning the fight against cable theft and vandalism, as reflected in our statistics. From July 2024 to February 2025, incidents have decreased by about 36%. However, one of our biggest challenges is the inner-city tunnels. These tunnels span 14km and have multiple access points, including manholes, substations, and even stormwater and sewage drains. Criminals use these to swim through sewage and gain access to the tunnels.
Sowetan: What measures have been taken to tackle these issues?
Thela: We have arrested 279 suspects from July 2024 to February 2025, a significant increase from the 140 arrests made in the previous period, which is a 99% rise. We are also working with law enforcement, including the SAPS and essential infrastructure task teams.
Sowetan: How is City Power handling security challenges?
Mashava: Our budget is focused on responding to electrical faults rather than preventing theft. However, we have a memorandum of understanding with Gauteng public safety to increase security resources. .
Sowetan: Do you think these measures will be enough?
Mashava: We believe the situation will improve, but the challenge is that criminals are willing to risk their lives to steal cables.
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