Cable thieves ruined Christmas for a whole lot of people in Pretoria. A power outage lasting three days hit areas like Olievenhoutbosch, Thatchfield, and Highveld after a fire at the Olivenhoutbosch Substation caused by cable theft on Christmas Eve. Residents spent the holiday without electricity for cooking or cooling, dealing with spoiled food and mounting anger over the repeated vandalism hitting the city's infrastructure.
Technicians worked through the holiday to fix the damaged transformers and lines, with power fully restored days later. The incident highlights a constant problem for Tshwane, where copper cable theft costs millions and causes widespread blackouts. Local frustrations point to a need for better security around substations and stricter enforcement against the scrap metal black market. While police have made some arrests for related crimes, the community is pushing for permanent solutions to prevent another gloomy holiday season.
Technicians worked through the holiday to fix the damaged transformers and lines, with power fully restored days later. The incident highlights a constant problem for Tshwane, where copper cable theft costs millions and causes widespread blackouts. Local frustrations point to a need for better security around substations and stricter enforcement against the scrap metal black market. While police have made some arrests for related crimes, the community is pushing for permanent solutions to prevent another gloomy holiday season.
