Infrastructure and environment services MMC in Joburg Jack Sekwaila said that the metro would be taking action against scrapyards as they were contributing to the scourge of cable theft.
Joburg MMC for environment and infrastructure services, Jack Sekwaila, alongside City Power CEO, Tshifularo Mashava, did a site inspection on the electricity infrastructure that has been vandalised and stolen on 29 March 2023. Picture: Alpha Ramushwana/ Eyewitness News.
JOHANNESBURG – Infrastructure and environment services MMC in Joburg, Jack Sekwaila, said that the city would be looking to regulate scrapyards in an effort to bring an end to cable theft.
Sekwaila was briefing the media in Naturena where he announced the city’s plans to tackle vandalism of electricity infrastructure.
Today we are in Eikenhof where Joburg MMC for environment and infrastructure services, Jack Sekwaila, alongside City Power CEO, Tshifularo Mashava, will be doing a site inspection on the electricity infrastructure that has been vandalised and stolen. @Alpha_Mero25 pic.twitter.com/egvb51Q4Tu
‘ EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) March 29, 2023
He announced that scrapyards had been contributing to the sale of stolen electricity cables.
He announced that the metro had put up overhead electricity lines as a measure to prevent the theft of underground cables.
In efforts to address cable theft in Joburg, the metro has spent R9.5 million to put up overhead lines that run from Rand Water’s Eikenhof station to communities in Naturena.
This area has been subjected to constant power cuts due to cable theft over the years, which has chased away several business owners in nearby communities.
MMC Sekwaila said that the metro would be taking action against scrapyards as they were contributing to the scourge.
“The MMC for Public Safety is intending to close all scrapyards and then visit them one by one. This is because they must be regulated, we are losing a lot as a city.”
Sekwaila said the metro could not continue to lose money to cable theft and vandalism.
