Sol Plaatje pleads with public to protect power infrastructure
An open fire at the Tyala Street substation raises concerns about the risk of damage to critical electrical infrastructure.
Image: Sol Plaatje Municipality
SOL PLAATJE Municipality has issued an urgent warning to residents after a fire broke out at the Tyala Street substation, with the local authority again linking these incidents to illegal dumping and open fires near critical electrical infrastructure.
In a public notice released on Saturday, municipal spokesperson Thabo Mothibi said that dumping around substations is not only illegal, but also dangerous – often creating the conditions for fires that can damage essential electrical equipment and disrupt supply to surrounding areas.
“The municipality urgently calls on the public to protect electrical infrastructure,” the statement reads. “The illegal dumping around substations often leads to fires that damage critical electrical equipment.”
The municipality also raised alarm about what it described as a growing pattern of deliberate damage at electrical sites.
“Equally, we strongly condemn the increasing acts of arson and vandalism by izinyoka (cable thieves) and nyaope users targeting electrical metering kiosks,” Mothibi said.
According to the municipality, these incidents are not one-off problems – and residents ultimately pay the price through outages, repair costs, and the strain placed on already pressured municipal services.
“These unlawful activities unnecessarily disrupt the continuity of electricity supply and are carried out by culprits who disregard repeated warnings,” Mothibi added.
He said the financial impact has been severe, noting that the damage has already cost the municipality millions of rand. Officials believe the situation can only be addressed if communities take an active stand against those lighting fires near substations or dumping rubble and refuse in high-risk areas.
The municipality is asking residents to report anyone responsible for open fires by contacting the call centre.
“We are appealing to the public to report vagabonds responsible for open fires at 080 122 9010 (call centre),” Mothibi said.
The notice follows what the municipality described as an incident last night at the Tyala Street substation, where pictures and video show an open fire at the site, alongside ongoing illegal dumping around the substation.
Illegal dumping around the Tyala Street substation continues to pose a fire risk and threatens vital electrical infrastructure.
Image: Sol Plaatje Municipality
Video: Sol Plaatje Municipality