City of Tshwane announces 48-hour power outage

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The City of Tshwane has informed residents in certain areas that there will be a power outage for at least 48 hours this weekend due to vandalism.

Tshwane is currently being battered by floods which have caused water and power outages. Region One of the City, which is Soshanguve, has been left in the dark after one of their substations was broken into and vandalised. Here are the affected areas.

VANDALISM AT SOSHANGUVE CC SUBSTATION

The City of Tshwane issued a statement in the evening on Saturday, 21 December 2024, which they shared on their social media platforms. They informed Tshwane residents in Soshanguve Region one that the CC Substation had been vandalised “intentionally”. The statement read:

“Today, 21 December 2024, the CC Substation cable was burned inside the trench. It appears that the vandals intentionally set the medium-voltage (MV) cable on fire. As a result, the switching panels were vandalised, possibly in an attempt to steal the cables.”

AREAS AFFECTED BY TSHWANE POWER OUTAGE

The areas affected are:

Block AA
Block CC
Block G
Block F East

The statement further stated that there were already electricians on-site and they would work throughout the night.

HOW LONG WILL REPAIRS TAKE?

The City also revealed in the statement the estimated time it would take for the work to be done. It said: “If the repairs go according to plan, power is projected to be restored in two days.”

REACTION FROM AFFECTED RESIDENTS

Tshwane residents who saw the statement on Facebook expressed their dissatisfaction over the situation. Their comments revealed that theft and vandalism at the CC Substation happens frequently. Tinyiko Matjokane commented:

“That substation has no security. The former ward 33 councillor’s tarven/car wash is obstructing views of the substation in block CC from the main road. Municipality needs to clear that area. Install electric fences & cameras that are linked to the TMPD and SAPS.

“Unless this is a form of corruption and the sabotage is for a supplier to gain something. We cannot keep burying our heads in the sand when the same areas keep facing the same thing every second day. If it’s not the CC substation then it’s the cables getting stolen from danger boxes near our homes. Enough is enough!”

Another Facebook user, Teedow Volonte, suggested: “The City of Tshwane why not deploy crime prevention wardens to monitor substations. I mean it is not like we can do anything to stop such people as the community. Once we are armed, like they do, still the law will favour them should anything happen.

“Being an eye depends also on how our police can respond to such thefts. These people are well aware that municipality doesn’t give a damn about this matter because no cases are opened or investigations made. Some are the very same workers of the municipality busy vandalising, people who know what they gonna do with the cables etc.”