The Heatherley substation, owned and managed by the City of Tshwane was targeted in a brazen cable robbery on Monday, 18 September 2023.
A cable robbery syndicate is targeting City of Tshwane substations
In a statement, the City confirmed the substation in Mamelodi East was invaded by a group of roughly 20 individuals, some wielding firearms.
During this daring incursion, a security guard, responsible for safeguarding the facility, was forcibly detained at gunpoint. The criminals managed to pilfer no less than nine medium voltage cables from the substation, leaving destruction in their wake.
The resulting havoc led to a fire breaking out within the substation, further exacerbating the damage inflicted.
In response, the City promptly activated its emergency services department to extinguish the flames.
It is worth noting that this incident occurred in the midst of a scheduled loadshedding period, a factor Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink recently highlighted as an opportune window for criminals to target substations and pilfer cables with minimal risk to themselves.
This marks the second armed attack on a substation in recent months.
In July 2023, a 29-year-old security guard stationed at the Nyala substation tragically lost his life when he unwittingly stumbled upon robbers engaged in cable theft.
Consequently, law enforcement filed charges encompassing murder, theft, and vandalism in response.
Following the latest incident, the City has been vigorously working to restore power to extensive sections of Pretoria East. Themba Fosi, Tshwane’s MMC for Utilities and Operations, reported notable progress achieved at the Heatherley substation.
Fosi commented:
“Our assessment has revealed substantial advancements in the restoration of power to the affected areas. Completed tasks include critical panel cleaning, essential for ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the substation. However, several tasks remain pending to fully reinstate the power supply across all affected areas. These tasks encompass finalizing cable work and conducting pressure tests on all feeder cables and bars. We wish to reassure the community that our teams are relentlessly working to expedite the remaining tasks and restore power at the earliest opportunity.”