Cable Theft and Vandalism Leave Parts of Komani Without Power

Thousands of residents and businesses in parts of Komani were left without electricity after cable thieves vandalised the Queendustria Substation late on Tuesday night, causing an unplanned power outage that is expected to continue for an extended period.

The outage began at approximately 11:30pm on 14 July, affecting all areas supplied by the substation.

In a media statement issued on Wednesday, Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality confirmed that electrical cables were stolen and critical components of the substation’s protection system were damaged during the incident.

“The stolen cables and damaged components form part of the substation’s electrical protection system, which safeguards the electricity network and enables the safe and reliable distribution of power,” the municipality said.

Municipal technical teams are on site assessing the damage while emergency procurement processes are underway to appoint specialist service providers to determine the quickest and safest way to restore electricity.

The municipality said it is unable to provide a restoration timeframe at this stage as the full extent of the damage has not yet been established.

“Residents and businesses are advised to prepare for an extended interruption,” the statement said.

The affected areas include:

• Komani Park
• Queensview Park
• Laurie Dashwood Park
• Ezibeleni
• Sandringham
• New Rest
• Army Base

A criminal case has been opened with the South African Police Service, and the municipality has called on law enforcement agencies to investigate the theft and vandalism and bring those responsible to justice.

The municipality said attacks on critical infrastructure place an additional financial burden on ratepayers, as funds that should be used for service delivery and community development must instead be spent replacing stolen and damaged infrastructure.

Residents are urged to report any suspicious activity near substations, transformers or other municipal electrical infrastructure by contacting the municipality on 045 807 6000.

The municipality said further updates will be issued through its official communication platforms as more information becomes available.