City operation removes illegal connections in Philippi
05 October 2023
The City continues to act on illegal connections in areas across the metro. Today, 5 October 2023, Mayoral Committee Member for Energy Councillor Beverley van Reenen and the Energy Safety Team, a specialised unit set up to help protect electrical infrastructure from tampering, vandalism, theft and illegal connections, conducted operations in the Philippi area. Repairs and disconnections of the same vandalised infrastructure is not feasible or safe and places pressure on City resources and negatively impacts our residents by leaving neighbourhoods without power.
'Today's operation is an example of the City intensifying its efforts by carrying out regular illegal connection disconnection operations in the metro's hotspots. We are aware of and are monitoring all illegal connection and infrastructure vandalism hotspot areas.
'The City is serious about protecting its critical infrastructure and the residents who are legally supplied with electricity. We will not tolerate vandalism which impacts on this supply to our residents. Illegal connections leave whole communities in darkness due to overloaded connections and exposed live wires.
'Criminals have seemingly taken advantage of Eskom's recent constant load-shedding to target our infrastructure. Philippi is one of the areas which has been especially hard hit and this often causes prolonged electricity outages. We wish to be extremely clear: we will not allow these acts of criminality to have an impact on the supply to residents. Our zero tolerance approach to this type of criminality and safety hazard will continue. The estimated cost of repair to vandalised infrastructure, including damage caused by illegal connections in the last financial year is R56 million.
'We thank all teams, Law Enforcement and SAPS for assisting with this successful operation. Residents are encouraged to report illegal connections and vandalism to the City and SAPS,' said Councillor Van Reenen.
In City supplied areas and on City-owned land, where it is possible to do so, almost 100% of older informal settlements in the metro are connected to electricity supply.
R5 000 reward
Help the City bring an end to infrastructure vandalism and illegal connections: The City is offering a reward to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest, confiscation of stolen or illegal goods or the handing in of illegal or stolen goods. This reward is also applicable to information leading to the arrest of people vandalising, damaging or stealing electricity infrastructure or installing illegal connections. SAPS is the lead authority in crime prevention.
Report damage to municipal electrical infrastructure:
SMS: 31220
Email: power@capetown.gov.za
Anonymous tip offs are welcome: Residents can report crime and by-law offences anonymously, 24-hours a day, on 0800 1100 77.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
