City Power believes that thieves have been stealing transformer poles in the area‚ which may be why the latter crime was committed. It has replaced seven pole-mounted transformers in Lenasia South‚ at a cost of about R1.5 million.
“We are also working with law enforcement agencies to ensure those responsible for this‚ which is really a crime against the state‚ are apprehended. We should not allow lawlessness and any efforts to interrupt supply of electricity to the majority of our people should be thwarted and rejected‚” said City Power CEO Lerato Setshedi.
Officials said the Unaville settlement sprang up several months ago on a local farm‚ with residents illegally reconnecting an old line that supplied electricity to nearby farms.
“The illegal cables have been dangerously connected to the low voltage circuit. Some of the wires have even been connected directly onto the medium voltage lines. The poor nature of these connections and the resultant overloading of the circuit result in nuisance trips and premature failures of pole transformers‚” City Power said.