City Power, the electricity utility serving Johannesburg, has identified underground cable theft as a potential cause of a fire at its central substation. The fire, which occurred last Thursday, has left large parts of the inner city without electricity. According to City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena, the utility's latest assessment found evidence of suspected cable theft and vandalism at its underground power tunnels.
The fire at the central substation is the latest in a series of power outages to affect the city's central business district. Parts of Joburg CBD have not seen much electricity throughout September, as two different prolonged power outages hit the city centre. Power was only restored for a day after a previous two-week-long blackout in the CBD. City Power has assured residents that efforts are underway to restore power supply.
City Power's investigation into the fire has revealed that technical teams discovered an axe, a jigsaw, and other tools commonly associated with cable theft, most of which were found beneath the damaged equipment. There was also evidence of attempts to cut copper cables in the area. Preliminary observations suggested that the suspected tampering may have triggered the explosion and subsequent fire.
The scene has now been handed to the relevant law enforcement authorities to look into the suspected cable theft attempts that have left residents and businesses without electricity for days. City Power is working to restore power supply, but has not provided an estimated electricity restoration time at this stage.
This incident is not an isolated case, as cable theft and vandalism have become a recurring problem for City Power. The utility has previously reported incidents of cable theft and vandalism, which have resulted in power outages and disruptions to services.
The impact of the power outage on residents and businesses in the affected areas has been significant. Many have been left without electricity for days, causing disruptions to daily life and economic activity. City Power has apologized for the inconvenience and assured residents that efforts are underway to restore power supply as soon as possible.
The investigation into the fire is ongoing, with the relevant law enforcement authorities working to identify those responsible for the cable theft and vandalism. City Power has urged residents to report any suspicious activity and to support efforts to prevent cable theft and vandalism in the future.
Key points
- City Power has identified underground cable theft as the cause of the fire at its central substation.
- The fire has left large parts of Johannesburg's inner city without electricity.
- The investigation into the fire is ongoing, with the relevant law enforcement authorities working to identify those responsible.
