Security guards steal copper cables from Lilian Ngoyi Street amid gas explotion repairs

Almost 50 meters of cables have been stolen from the ongoing rehabilitation project on Lilian Ngoyi Street after the 2023 gas explosion in the city centre.

City Power’s crackdown on cable theft and vandalism has led to the arrest of six suspects, including three security guards.

“The area is under stringent security measures since the methane gas explosion on 19 July 2023, and is currently being repaired,” said City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena.

Security guards steal copper cables from Lilian Ngoyi Street amid gas explotion repairs

Cable war: Private security vs City Power security

According to City Power, the security guards from a third-party security firm will be appearing in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s court on Tuesday for the theft of close to 50 meters of copper cable.

The security guards were nabbed on Sunday morning after City Power’s security personnel discovered several pieces of cables while patrolling along Von Brandis and Lilian Ngoyi Streets in the inner City of Johannesburg.

“Around 11am that day, our security management team learned that the cables that were on site had been moved without any authorisation,” said Mangena.

The private security guards allegedly refused to grant City Power security staff access to the construction site. City Power immediately reported this obstruction to the Essential Infrastructure Tasked Team of the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Upon arrival, the SAPS member helped City Power gain entry and searched the site, restoring 20 pieces of 185 mm 3-core copper cables, totalling approximately 47.3 metres.

“The security officers claimed that the cables had been thrown into the enclosure by unknown individuals, but a review of their occurrence book revealed no record of this incident,” Mangena said.

The three were arrested on charges of possession of suspected stolen copper cables and tampering with essential infrastructure.

Lilian Ngoyi repairs: Further delays expected

The reconstruction of Lilian Ngoyi Street is expected to face further delays, with the project now pushed back to 2026.

The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) confirmed in August that it was in the process of appointing a new contractor to undertake the rehabilitation project after it issued a notice of intent to terminate the contract with Step Up Engineering due to the company’s failure to meet contractual obligations.

Essential infrastructure crimes

The power utility recorded 249 essential infrastructure crimes, cable theft and vandalism in the 2023/2024 fourth quarter. The number of arrested suspects increased by 113%, with 132 arrests recorded compared to 62 from the same period the previous year.

The utility assured the public that the security officers arrested were not hired by the power utility.

“City Power wishes to assure the public that the arrested officers were not employed by the security company contracted by City Power.”

Copper cable hidden in water boots

Over the weekend in a separate incident, law enforcement apprehended two City Power contractors found in possession of copper materials, leading to their arrest.

“The first suspect was handcuffed after being found in possession of four bag-size pieces of 630mm x 1 core copper cable in the Inner City,” said Mangena.

Authorities arrested a second suspect in the same area after discovering a quantity of copper cable hidden in his water boots during an inspection.

Authorities apprehended a suspect in Roodepoort on Monday, charging them with possession of stolen goods and tampering with essential infrastructure following a targeted raid at a metal scrap yard.

The utility said that these crimes underscore their commitment to protecting essential infrastructure.

“Our investigation into the theft of copper cables continues, and we remain committed to strengthening our security measures to prevent future indents.”

Mangena thanked the members of the Essential Infrastructure Task Team for their timely intervention when called upon.

“This will go a long way in the fight against the scourge of theft and vandalism,” he concluded.

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