Latest news with #LindelaMashigo
The Citizen
3 days ago
- The Citizen
Cable theft in the east costs metro over R4m
Cable theft in the east costs metro over R4m Cable theft and electricity losses are spiralling out of control in the suburbs east of Pretoria, costing the metro millions. The city spent nearly R4.9-million on repairs and maintenance in the past financial year due to cable and electricity theft, a heavy financial toll to its already strained budget. These incidents have led to frequent power outages, disrupting daily life and business operations. Residents also voiced concerns over the city's response, adding, 'We are paying rates and taxes, yet it feels like no one is protecting the infrastructure. We need stronger action and quicker response times.' According to city spokesperson Lindela Mashigo, the direct repair costs amounted to R4 889 985,70, not including additional losses due to service disruptions and secondary infrastructure damage. 'These ongoing incidents not only cost the city millions, but also jeopardise essential services and public safety,' said Mashigo. 'The damage goes beyond the cables themselves – entire communities are affected when the power goes out.' Mashigo said cable theft and vandalism in the east were the worst in Erasmuskloof, Armscor, Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Rietvlei Water Works, Woodlands Mall, Woodlands Lifestyle Estate, Faerie Glen (Koedoeberg), Mooikloof, Moreleta Park and surrounding suburbs. He said the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) and private security companies were surveilling the hotspots, conducting regular patrols in identified high-risk zones. Mashigo confirmed that supply chain management is still processing the tender for enhanced infrastructure security. 'In the interim, the TMPD is working closely with SAPS and private security partners to secure vulnerable infrastructure.' He said cable theft and electricity infrastructure vandalism reduce the reliability and longevity of the electricity infrastructure. MMC for Finance Eugene Modise said the metro has allocated more than R565-million to the installation of CCTV cameras, the recruitment of 200 more metro police officers from January, and the deployment of security personnel to protect its assets, including electricity infrastructure. 'Tshwane is woefully under-protected and we are pursuing a consolidated asset protection strategy that includes both physical security and advanced technological solutions,' said Modise. He added that the metro plans to incorporate modern technology, such as motion detectors and smart surveillance tools, to support and strengthen the efforts of ground security teams. ALSO READ: Noweto stations indicate an increase in contact crimes Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
5 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Centurion power supply fully restored after gruelling repairs, says metro
Power supply has been restored to all parts of Centurion previously affected by the explosion at the Zwartkop Substation on May 20, according to Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo. The incident involved the explosion of Transformer 1A at the substation, which resulted in widespread outages across multiple areas, with some residents enduring more than a week without electricity. Mashigo said the restoration comes after a gruelling eight-day repair process. Zwartkop Substation fully operational. — City of Tshwane (@CityTshwane) May 28, 2025 'The city's energy and electricity technicians worked around the clock through a strenuous cable installation and connection process,' he said. He stated that once that process was complete, the team had to undertake the complex task of modifying the Cable End Box, which serves as the connection point between the cables and the main transformer. 'This task was complicated by the fact that the end box's original components were manufactured in 1972. 'Some of the parts had to be imported from other countries to complete the modification,' said Mashigo. He encouraged any residents who may still be without power to report the issue through the city's normal complaint logging channels. Mashigo expressed appreciation for the patience, co-operation and understanding shown by affected residents during the extended outage and apologised for the inconvenience caused. Before the full restoration, the metro had already managed to restore electricity to some areas. On May 21, MMC for Utility Services Frans Boshielo explained that the explosion had also tripped the Lyttelton Line 1 at Njala, affecting electricity supply to parts of the network served by the Wingate, Aries, and De Hoewes substations. At the time, he stated that technicians were able to stabilise those lines and successfully restore supply to the affected zones. However, other areas, including Zwartkop, Valhalla, Clubview, parts of Claudius, the military base in Thaba Tshwane, and the Zwartkop Airbase, remained without electricity. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
7 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Tshwane plan to relocate east informal settlement dwellers unfolds
The Tshwane metro confirmed that the construction drawings for the establishment of the Pretorius Park Ext 40 Township are now being finalised and will soon be submitted to the relevant authorities to pave the way for development shortly. This move marks a step towards the long-anticipated relocation of residents from Cemetery View and Plastic View informal settlements in the east of Pretoria. The city also revealed that the Surveyor General Diagrams for the long-awaited township development have been approved. Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said a multidisciplinary team was officially appointed on June 12, 2024, to drive the project. 'The team of engineers and specialists are currently busy with the planning phase, working on designs to prepare the land that will ultimately accommodate hundreds of families living in the fire-prone settlements.' The long-anticipated relocation of residents from Cemetery View and Plastic View informal settlements is a dawn that thousands of east ratepayers eagerly await. Once complete, Pretorius Park Ext 40 is expected to form part of the city's broader spatial integration plan, offering both government-subsidised housing and social rental units to residents currently living in unsafe and overcrowded conditions. Pretorius Park Ext 40 will integrate the poor into the affluent Garsfontein area, in pursuit of spatial transformation and integration principles espoused in the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (Act No. 16 of 2013). East of Pretoria ratepayers have been calling on the municipality to relocate residents from informal settlements through legal efforts to evict them, having been in the courts for years with multiple failed eviction processes thwarted by Human Rights organisations. Pretorius Park will ultimately offer 863 housing units, 300 of which will be fully subsidised by the government. The remaining units will be allocated for social housing rental stock. The qualifying beneficiaries from Cemetery View (currently home to 866 households) and Plastic View (with over 900 households) will be relocated to the new development. Mashigo said a contractor will be appointed during the 2025/26 financial year. 'The project is still in the planning phase; the contractor will be appointed in the next financial year. The designs and construction drawings are underway currently,' said Mashigo. Previously, the municipality said a submission was made to the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements to fund the top structure construction under the current Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). This will follow the installation of bulk infrastructure, including water, sewer, roads, and stormwater systems. The relocation of Cemetery View residents has been discussed for over a decade. In 2010, the city attempted to prevent land invasions by demolishing structures and evicting illegal occupiers at the Cemetery View informal settlement. However, after a court case brought to the North Gauteng High Court, the city was ordered to provide emergency relief in the form of temporary shelters. This led to a court settlement on August 18, 2010, requiring the city to eventually provide permanent alternative accommodation. The process has since faced multiple objections from neighbouring property owners, homeowner associations, and civil society organisations. The city had to revise and resubmit its township planning application in March 2020, which was only approved by the Municipal Planning Tribunal in August 2022. The final approval for the Conditions of Establishment and Layout Plan for Pretorius Park Ext 40 was granted on January 3 2023, clearing a major hurdle in the city's goal of building a formal, integrated community in the Garsfontein area. Mashigo said the city will expedite the implementation of Pretorious Park Ext 40 and ensure that the urban management activities are implemented on both informal settlements to prevent any further pollution and invasion. 'In the interim, Tshwane Metro Police Department is deployed on site to attend to any transgressions of law.' The city previously said it is pushing for the relocation move to be at least by 2029. Mashigo mentioned previously that the city has limited powers over evictions due to the existing court order, which makes it difficult for the city to implement certain measures. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
22-05-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Tshwane hit by days-long blackout after Zwartkop explosion — sabotage suspected
Tshwane says it will keep residents updated, but a full restoration date has yet to be confirmed. Residents across parts of Centurion and Pretoria East remain without electricity for a third consecutive day following a devastating fire and explosion at the Zwartkop substation on Tuesday morning. Technical teams are working around the clock to restore power, but repairs are proving complex due to extensive damage caused by what officials suspect was deliberate sabotage. Tshwane Zwartkop substation repair progress Tshwane's Energy and Electricity technicians have made significant headway in their efforts to restore the critical infrastructure. According to the city's spokesperson Lindela Mashigo, Transformer B2 successfully passed all high-voltage tests after rigorous testing that began on Monday. However, the transformer's cable end box requires complete replacement due to severe damage sustained during theft and vandalism incidents. Lindela Mashigo confirmed that a specially ordered cable end box for the backup transformer is expected to arrive on site by Friday, 23 May, after which cable termination work will commence. 'Once the new cable end box is installed and cable termination is completed, the transformer will be safe to operate,' said Mashigo. He added that technical teams have also begun excavating to replace damaged feeder and control cables, while simultaneously conducting cold commissioning of the substation with tests on feeder panels. 'Oil purification work for the transformer is also underway.' ALSO READ: Tshwane under pressure as residents complain about water outages, power and potholes Tshwane appeals for patience amid power outage The extended outage has left thousands of residents without power during a cold front, adding to the hardship experienced by affected communities. Mashigo acknowledged the inconvenience and appealed for understanding from residents. 'The city pleads for patience and cooperation from the affected customers whilst technicians are working around the clock to restore power,' Mashigo said. The city has committed to keeping consumers informed of developments as repair work progresses, though no specific timeline for full restoration has been provided pending completion of the major repair components. 'The estimated time for restoration will be communicated once the bulk of the repair work has been completed,' Mashigo stated. ALSO READ: Community foils attempted theft of transformers at Claudius Substation [VIDEO] Infrastructure security crisis The Zwartkop incident forms part of a growing pattern of infrastructure attacks that has raised serious alarm among city officials. Tshwane Executive Mayor Nasiphi Moya revealed during a briefing on Thursday that the city has experienced fires at six substations in the past six months alone. 'The situation is not normal. We are raising an alarm even with our colleagues at national in terms of what needs to happen because this is not a normal situation,' Moya said. The mayor attributed the vulnerability to a previous decision to withdraw security from critical infrastructure, noting that preliminary reports indicate deliberate sabotage rather than accidental failures. 'A person walks into our substation, cuts a cable and leaves, and we are left with a fire two hours later,' Moya explained. ALSO READ: Wave of substation fires in Tshwane raises red flags Recent infrastructure achievements Despite the security challenges, the city has made progress on other electrical infrastructure projects. Tshwane completed critical upgrades in the Social Movement area, finishing the IA substation upgrade a month ahead of schedule. The DD reticulation project was completed two weeks ago, while the BB project stood at 55% completion at the time of the briefing. 'The community of Bibi social movement will also have a stable electricity supply by end of May,' Moya announced. NOW READ: Tshwane mayor faces outrage for Weskoppies Hospital power cut
The Citizen
22-05-2025
- The Citizen
North areas suffer blow to the tune of more than R6m due to cable theft
North areas suffer blow to the tune of more than R6m due to cable theft The metro has disclosed that Region 1, encompassing areas such as Rosslyn, Akasia, Pretoria North, Soshanguve, and Winterveldt, has experienced 243 incidents of cable theft since November 2024. The cost of repairing infrastructure damaged by these thefts amounts to more than R6.78-million for materials alone, excluding labour expenses. The incidents have led to frequent power outages, disrupting daily life and business operations. Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo emphasised the broader impact of cable theft, noting that it is a significant contributor to service delivery interruptions. 'Out of 1.1 million outages recorded across Tshwane last year, a substantial portion of up to 30% is attributed directly to theft and vandalism of power infrastructure,' stated Mashigo. MMC for Finance Eugene Modise said the metro has allocated more than R565-million to the installation of CCTV cameras, the recruitment of 200 more metro police officers from January, and deployment of security personnel to protect its assets, including electricity infrastructure. 'Tshwane is woefully under-protected and we are pursuing a consolidated asset protection strategy that includes both physical security and advanced technological solutions,' said Modise. He added that the metro plans to incorporate modern technology, such as motion detectors and smart surveillance tools, to support and strengthen the efforts of ground security teams. Rosslyn, a key industrial hub in Region 1, has been particularly affected. The Rosslyn Improvement District (RID) has reported disruptions to manufacturing and logistics operations due to the outages. Nico Venter of RID said the district has collaborated with security companies to enhance security measures, including the installation of motion detectors and CCTV cameras at main entrances and increased patrols. 'We are putting up CCTV cameras and motion detectors in some of the electrical infrastructure in the Rosslyn area. And should any suspicious vehicle come into Rosslyn, it is going to be recognised,' said Venter. Residents have expressed growing frustration over the recurring power outages. Akasia resident Joyce Coetzee highlighted the daily challenges posed by the lack of electricity. 'We depend on electricity for everything, from running our appliances to maintaining a comfortable home, and even for our children's education. 'We've been living in the darkness too often lately, and it's unfair. Service delivery continues to be an issue, and our voices are being ignored.' The metro has taken steps to address the issue. Plans are underway to install surveillance cameras at substations undergoing refurbishment. 'This will assist the security personnel to see any intruders at our substations and react on time,' said Mashigo. He said the metro is exploring long-term strategies, such as replacing overhead cables with underground alternatives, to deter theft. However, the feasibility of this solution is limited by physical constraints, such as the availability of servitudes and space to install cables at the required depth of 1m to 1.5m. Residents are urged to participate in community policing forums (CPFs) and assist in neighbourhood patrols to safeguard infrastructure. 'Community members are at liberty to join the CPFs and/or assist in patrolling their neighbourhoods,' said Mashigo. Cable theft in Region 1 of Tshwane has posed a significant challenge, impacting both the economy and quality of life for residents. While the city is implementing measures to combat the issue, community involvement remains crucial in safeguarding essential infrastructure and ensuring consistent service delivery. Nicky Smit of Maximum Security said they continue to patrol the electricity infrastructure in the north in efforts to combat cable theft. Jacques Venter, Representative of the United Independent Movement, said the cable theft situation is not only a severe inconvenience but a blatant infringement on these citizens' rights to essential services. He said children need to go to school, be clean and eat a meal, while old and sick people depend on oxygen to survive. 'There are several old age homes as well as frail care facilities in Akasia that are dependent on electricity and water to care for people who desperately need medical care to be able to live, and without basic services, how would they survive? 'Should we just accept that they have to die because Tshwane has no urgency to attend to and fix the problem?' He said they demand transparency and accountability, not promises and misinformation. 'The residents were told to buy the needed fuses themselves, which cost them R3 600, which is, as a matter of fact, theft by Tshwane metro. 'They were also told by Tshwane Rosslyn that they can go ahead and fit the fuses themselves. The money that residents had to spend on fuses that were needed is unacceptable. Why was it not outsourced from another municipal area?' ALSO READ: Wonderboom airport positioned as SA's future cargo powerhouse Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
