Energy Task Team to protect City of Cape Town's electricity infrastructure

The City of Cape Town says the vandalism, theft and illegal connections of electricity infrastructure, is setting the municipality back by R6.4 million.

Mayco member for Energy, Beverley van Reenen and Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, launched its new Energy Safety Team to assist Law Enforcement agencies and the South African Police Service (SAPS) in protecting electricity infrastructure in the metro at the Lentegeur Civic Centre in Mitchell’s Plain on Wednesday, 24 May.

PICTURE - Mitchum George: Energy Task Team launched

Smith said law enforcement officers have been deployed to help protect City staff whilst restoring power to the communities. The mayco member for safety and security raised concerns over extortion in the City. Smith said law enforcement officers had to escort City employees more than 1 600 times, the bulk of these escorts were for those in the Energy department.

Smith said albeit the City has a metal theft unit, their work has been hampered due to electricity vandalism and theft

‘’The Energy Unit will be integrated with other teams such as the Metal Theft Unit to ensure critical energy infrastructure is protected. The Energy Unit joins the City's highly trained Law Enforcement Officers in their efforts to protect our residents and officials.’’

PICTURE - Mitchum George

Mayco member for Energy, Beverley van Reenen, said it takes a whole of society approach to tackle the scourge of electricity infrastructure which includes theft and vandalism, amongst others Van Reenen said electricity cables, kiosks, substation, mini-substations as well as public lighting infrastructure are mostly affected.

‘’The City's new Energy Safety Team will greatly assist in protecting critical City electricity infrastructure in our communities. In recent months, we have seen an increase in vandalism, theft and illegal connections. Most alarmingly, we have seen an increase in the number of incidents taking place under the cover of darkness placing a large strain on our City energy teams and leaving communities in the dark for longer.’’

The City of Cape Town said it recorded more than 350 incidents of theft, vandalism of electricity infrastructure within the first three months of this year at City-supplied areas. Of these, the majority of incidents, that is over 120, were reported in the Mowbray district, which includes suburbs like Woodstock, Kensington, and Brooklyn. Mitchell’s Plain, where the energy team was launched, reported over 60 incidents of infrastructure vandalism.

‘’This essentially means that our statistics do not account for areas like Khayelitsha and Delft, which are Eskom supply areas. The total cost of the vandalism, theft and illegal connections stands at a staggering R6.4 million. I have personally been to communities such as Philippi, Where I saw for myself how illegal electricity connections and servitude encroachments have devastated communities as they suffer prolonged power outages.’’

Van Reenen said the municipality has set aside R40 million for the current financial year, for resources so that the 20 officers deployed in hot spot areas can protect its infrastructure.

To keep up with the fourth industrial revolution, van Reenen said her department is exploring technology solutions to mitigate against the prevalence of vandalism and theft.

PICTURE: Mitchum George

Community members are urged to report illegal connections of electricity infrastructure to police or the City’s toll free number on 0800 1100 77. You can do so anonymously

'’While our committed team of officials across all levels in our City's Energy Directorate continue to work tirelessly on prevention and mitigation solutions in partnership with the Safety and Security Directorate, we will not succeed without active community participation. We need residents to play their part by reporting illegal activity near infrastructure, including streetlights, to the City and the South African Police Service (SAPS). We need residents to engage with their Neighbourhood Watches, the City's Law Enforcement officers, their ward councillors and the SAPS,’’ said Beverley van Reenen, Mayco Member for Energy.

 

For Bush Radio News, I’m Mitchum George