/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

City Power is unable to keep up with the high demand for minisubstations due to the higher stages of loadshedding. 

We have been losing an average of two minisubstations per day due to theft and vandalism across our Service Delivery Centres, with the hardest hit being Roodepoort. 

The impact of loadshedding is high on our infrastructure, with minisubstations and transformers blowing up, or being stolen. 

Since the recent higher stages of loadshedding, City Power has been losing minisubstations faster than we can replenish them. 

By Wednesday this week, City Power was in need of at least 14 minisubstation boxes to deal with several outages in different areas.   

All the minisubstations were vandalised - 8 of them in Roodepoort, 4 in Reuven SDC, 1 in Randburg, and 1 in Midrand. 

* Roodepoort - North Witpoortjie, Wilropark, Weltevredenpark, Horizon at Georgina and Eagle streets, Florida at Clement street, Lufhereng 

* Reuven - Robertsham, Lindenberg, Southdale, Turfontein, 

* Randburg - Boskruin 

* Midrand - Halfwayhouse 

Over the last year, in which Eskom imposed at least 205 days of loadshedding, City Power replaced in excess of 390 minisubstations, at a cost of R200 million. 

This is the reason we have currently ran out of stock of minisubstations. 

More minisubstations have been ordered and we are expecting deliveries from this coming week, due to the long lead time nature of the commodity and festive closure of most factories. 

It must also be mentioned that the impact of high demand on minisubstations has left a huge dent of our budget and as it is we have already spent 80% of our budget for the whole financial year. 

Due to continued theft and vandalism of minisubstations in the middle of loadshedding and stock shortages, we are currently having 14 minisubstations which needs to be replaced across all eight SDCs. 

On average, one minisubstation supplies 100 households depending on the size, which will explain the number of calls we may get every time a single minisubstation is vandalised or blows up. 

The areas impacted by vandalised minisubstations in Roodepoort include Lufhereng, Roodepoort CBD, JG Strydom, Witpoortjie, Wilgeheuwel, and Weltervreden.

Unfortunately, the above areas, and those in other SDCs, cannot be restored until we receive the stock of minisubstaions.

We appeal for calm and patience from our customers as we work hard to address this shortage. 

We urge the residents to be vigilant and assist by protecting their electricity infrastructure and report any suspicious activity around the electricity installations. 

Issued by City Power Spokesperson, Isaac Mangena