The City of Cape Town has seen a drop in the number of electricity vandalism and illegal connection incidents in the majority of its regions in the metro. The City thanks residents for playing an active role and for doing their part in assisting us to stop this scourge by keeping a watchful eye over community infrastructure and reporting suspicious activity. In the 2022/23 financial year, the City earmarked R40 million to help curb and prevent incidents of vandalism and illegal connections.
The City calls on residents and communities to stand with us as we continue to fight against electricity vandalism and illegal connections.
In September 2022, 43 incidents of vandalism were recorded across the metro. The majority of areas in the metro are seeing a slight decrease in incidents; however, Mitchells Plain remains a hotspot and recorded more than 20 incidents in September.
‘Approximately R1 million has been spent on the repairing and replacing of electricity infrastructure in September. These included damaged streetlights, kiosks and other critical electricity infrastructure. While this total remains high, we are making progress in curbing incidents of vandalism and illegal connections. The Wynberg, Parow, Oostenberg, Muizenberg, Mowbray, Helderberg and Atlantis districts have each recorded fewer than five incidents in September.
‘City teams are monitoring all hot spot areas and illegal connections are continuously being disconnected. Residents are encouraged to report any illegal activity to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and to the City.
‘Our enhanced initiatives are ongoing and we are making good progress. The City’s R40 million injection for this new financial year, is focused on securing critical infrastructure in all communities – this includes security patrols in hotspots.
‘In the coming months, the City will embark on a vandalism awareness and education drive in communities so that residents have a greater understanding of the impact and cost of vandalism in their area and how money spent on fixing vandalised infrastructure could be spent on delivering more and enhanced services,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Beverley van Reenen.
Help the City bring an end to infrastructure vandalism and illegal connections:
The City is offering a reward to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest, confiscation of stolen or illegal goods or the handing-in of illegal or stolen goods. This reward is also applicable to information leading to the arrest of people vandalising, damaging or stealing electricity infrastructure or installing illegal connections.
Report damage to municipal electrical infrastructure:
SMS: 31220
Email: power@capetown.gov.za
Anonymous tip-offs welcomed:
Residents can give anonymous tip offs if they are aware of illegal activity, such as illegal connections or unlawful occupations, that are taking place; that has happened or is still to happen. Please call 112 from a cell phone (toll free) and 107 from a landline or 021 480 7700 for emergencies.
