Cape Town – The City of Cape Town, SAPS and Law Enforcement members carried out an illegal connection removal operation in Philippi.
A truckload of cables illegally connected to the City of Cape Town’s supply infrastructure was removed from several informal settlements in Philippi and surrounding areas.
All confiscated material will be destroyed.
According to the City, it is intensifying its efforts by carrying out regular operations to remove illegal electricity connections in the metro’s hotspots.
Mayoral committee member for energy, Beverley van Reenen, said the City was serious about protecting its critical infrastructure and the community and vandalism of the electricity network would not be tolerated.
“Illegal connections leave whole communities in darkness due to the overloaded connections that trip. Exposed live wires are also unsafe – often placing the lives of children at risk.
“Philippi, Mitchells Plain and the surrounding areas have been hit hard due to electricity vandalism and this often causes prolonged electricity outages in these areas. The City wishes to be clear, we will not allow these acts of criminality to have an impact on the supply to residents.
“We thank all teams and the South African Police Service for assisting the City with this successful operation,” van Reenen said.
She said the work would continue and areas across the metro were being monitored.
“Residents may report illegal connections and vandalism to the City and the SAPS,” she said.
The City of Cape Town is offering a reward to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest, the confiscation of stolen or illegal goods or the handing in of illegal or stolen goods.
The reward is also applicable to information leading to the arrest of people vandalising, damaging or stealing electricity infrastructure or installing illegal connections.
Damage to municipal electrical infrastructure can be reported by sending an SMS to 31220 or emailing power@capetown.gov.za.
Residents can report crime and by-law offences anonymously, 24 hours a day, at 0800 1100 77.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL