VANDALISM CAUSE MAJOR POWER OUTAGE

• Apr 19, 2022

Rustenburg – Many areas in Rustenburg were left without electricity after an Eskom pylon along Quartzite Street in Zinniaville collapsed on Thursday 17 February. 

The Rustenburg Local Municipality (RLM) has blamed the collapse of the pylon on criminals who vandalise, steal and resell electrical infrastructure as scrap metal. 

RLM spokesperson Thapelo Matebesi said the collapse of the pylon caused power outages in many parts of the Rustenburg central business district, Waterkloof, Safarituine, Protea Park, Geelhout Park, Tlhabane and other areas along the R24.    

 
Democratic Alliance (DA) North West Provincial chairperson councillor Luan Snyders said incidents of vandalism of electrical infrastructure in Zinniaville had become a major cause for concern. 

“This is not the first time that this has happened. In November last year, a similar incident occurred under almost identical circumstances in Zinniaville,” Snyders explained.

Eskom technicians dispatched to Quartzite Street was overseen by MMC for Technical and Infrastructure councillor Thabang Rampou. They managed to restore electricity supply to most of the affected areas by Friday 18 February.  

“While exposing perpetrators to the grim danger of being electrocuted, such criminal acts also endanger the lives of innocent and law-abiding community members,” added Matebesi. 

In recent times, RLM employees have either lost their lives or succumbed to serious injuries while carrying out repairs to damaged electrical infrastructure.  

On Friday 4 February three RLM electrical technicians were injured at a substation while carrying out repairs that were allegedly caused by vandalism and theft of infrastructure. On the same day, at around 15:00, an RLM technician lost his life while working at a substation along Oorsaak Road.

 
Eskom has been on a drive to encourage members of the public to play a more active role in stopping the theft of infrastructure and illegal connections. The power utility said they continue to experience high incidences of theft and vandalism of infrastructure. 

These criminals have been impacting negatively on the security of supply by damaging and stealing transformers and bypassing meter boxes and substations.

Over the past few years, Eskom struggled to keep the lights on and there is no need to kick them while they are down by setting them up for failure.

We need to protect our source of electricity.On Wednesday 27 October 2021, heavily armed intruders at Eskom on the N4 towards Swartruggens (just past the first turnoff to Koster) took to the mountain towards Rietvlei after backup summoned by Eskom’s security arrived on the scene.

During the previous attack at the same premises of Eskom on Friday 8 October, a security guard was killed, and another was seriously injured. On Monday 11 October, the corpse of what is believed to be one of the attackers was discovered close to Eskom’s gate.

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