![Power Outages Persists In East Pretoria Due To Cable Theft](https://surgezirc.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/images-83.jpeg)
In Pretoria, a security guard was tragically killed during a cable theft incident at the Njala 132KV substation, resulting in power outages for residents in the eastern part of the city.
The MMC for Utility Services, Themba Fosi, expressed condolences to the guard’s family and described the incident as unfortunate.
Fosi highlighted the prevalence of cable theft and vandalism of infrastructure in Pretoria and South Africa as a whole.
He called for the national government to designate substations as national key points to ensure their safe guarding and the stable supply of electricity to residents.
The incident is currently under investigation by the police, and more information regarding the guard’s death will be shared at a later stage.
Daryl Johnston, the MMC for Utilities and Regional Operations, emphasized the need to prevent cable theft and protect infrastructure from nefarious elements.
He acknowledged the significant impact of cable theft on the supply of services and expressed a commitment to improving the situation.
The outage at the Njala substation caused electricity supply interruptions in several eastern areas of the city, including Watloo 1, Mamelodi 1,2,3, Wapadrand, Mooikloof, Koedoespoort, and Heatherley.
Technicians from the City’s Utility Services and Regional Operations Co-ordination Departments are working diligently to repair the substation.
However, the damage is extensive, and the rewiring of the equipment will take a considerable amount of time.
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The estimated time of restoration is not yet available, but the city assures residents that they will be kept updated on the progress.
The city apologizes for the inconvenience caused by the outage and requests residents’ patience during this period.