East Community Forum clears cable theft hotspot

The Citizen

07-05-2025

The Pretoria East Community Caring Forum (CCF) has once again stepped in to tackle a known cable theft hotspot in Moreleta Park, clearing overgrown grass and dense vegetation to improve visibility and help prevent future incidents.
For years, residents of Moreleta Park have faced repeated power outages due to ongoing cable theft.
Criminals frequently targeted the cables running from the Mooikloof substation, using the thick bush along the route as cover.
By clearing the overgrowth beneath the overhead lines, the CCF aims to make it harder for criminals to operate unnoticed and to safeguard this essential infrastructure.
The area is close to Mooikloof Ridge Estate bordering on Garsfontein Road, but due to security reasons exact location cannot be disclosed.
According to the founder of the CCF Deirdré van Helsdingen, clearing the overgrown vegetation will help prevent cable theft.
She said that when these lines are stolen, it causes power outages that affect estates and complexes east of Wekker Road, including Village Centre, Hillside Estate, and parts of Timbavati.
Van Helsdingen said the CCF decided to do something about the cable theft, which is to improve visibility and to get nearby estates as well as security companies involved.
'These clean-up operations are made possible by the funds donated by the Woodville Security Forum and external organisations. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Mooikloof Ridge Estate for their generous contribution in helping make this project a success.'
She said each clean-up operation requires renting four TLBs, costing a total of R21 000.
'These efforts are costly, but they are critical to maintaining and restoring power in our community. Thanks to these preventative measures, many of you have likely experienced fewer electricity interruptions over the past two years.'
Van Helsdingen said what began as a community upliftment initiative by the CCF has evolved into a targeted crime prevention effort after years of persistent cable theft in Moreleta Park and surrounding areas.
'Initially, the CCF took the lead in addressing the issue,' she explained.
'However, after careful consideration, we decided to separate our upliftment projects from crime-related initiatives, which led to the formation of the Woodville Security Forum in 2023.'
She said the CCF recognised the scale of the problem, the new forum reached out to residents for donations.
'With the funds raised, we hired a private security firm to patrol key hotspots along the cable routes fed by the Mooikloof substation. One major challenge remains the overgrown terrain, which requires clearing every four to six months to maintain visibility and accessibility.'
Van Helsdingen thanked Mooikloof Ridge Estate, which installed cameras along their boundary wall, a known hotspot, that is now under constant surveillance.
'Their 24/7 monitored system has been a great help,' she said.
'In fact, with their support, three more cameras were recently installed further along the line, and they have already made a noticeable difference.'
She added that the situation remains tense.
'Just last week, a hole was discovered at one of the known hotspots, which is clear evidence of an attempted cable theft.'
She said, fortunately, Stallion Security responded quickly and chased the perpetrators away, which prompted the clean-up on Monday (May 5).
Van Helsdingen said the CCF also works closely with CPF Sector 4 and the Tshwane Cable Theft Unit.
'Despite their involvement, limited resources make it impossible to guard every vulnerable site in the city.'
She said that at various Tshwane meetings, they have requested assistance in the form of technology-based solutions.
'But due to budget constraints, these proposals haven't been implemented. Meanwhile, the city continues to spend large amounts replacing stolen cables instead of investing in prevention.'
'These clean-ups have enabled quicker security responses and reduced the frequency of cable theft incidents,' Van Helsdingen added.
'But in the long run, we need early-warning systems and tech-enabled patrols. It's becoming clear that resident-driven organisations may be the only reliable way forward to safeguard our communities.'
She urged the community to be involved by supporting this initiative through donations.
'Every contribution makes a difference in keeping the lights on,' she said.
To support the cause people can send an email to [e-mail] and deirdré@woodvillesecurityforum.co.za.
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