City Power vows to crush cable thieves plaguing Honeydew

City Power has promised to tackle the issue of cable theft in the Honeydew area, despite acknowledging the commendable efforts of residents in meeting their electricity payments. At a recent Electricity Imbizo held in Ruimsig Stadium, Acting CEO Charles Tlouane addressed residents' frustration caused by frequent power cuts in the Honeydew, Amarosa, Ruimsig, and Weltevredenpark areas. Tlouane emphasized that the utility would not allow paying customers to endure the consequences of repair work being carried out.

According to City Power, approximately 94% of the 7,954 customers across Wards 83, 85, and 97 are legitimate customers, a figure that the utility considers highly valuable. Tlouane commended residents for their commitment to paying for the electricity they use. He outlined that theft and vandalism contribute to about 20% of the area's power failures, with criminals targeting copper components and disrupting electricity supply to households.

Tlouane urged the community to collaborate in securing the infrastructure while City Power dealt with the offenders. The utility plans to replace copper cables with aluminium as part of their effort to deter criminals in the Roodepoort region. Johannesburg's Mayor Dada Morero informed residents that the city had secured around R700 million in additional capital funding to enhance the electricity infrastructure, complementing the already existing R1.7 billion budget.

Morero highlighted that aging infrastructure and obsolete substation technology in Roodepoort necessitate immediate attention, along with repairs to streetlights and traffic lights.

The Lutz Substation project, which is currently 85% complete, is slated to commence operations in early 2027, significantly boosting the region's power capacity.