CITY POWER ACTING CEO CALLS FOR INCREASED POLICE SURVEILLANCE AROUND INNER-CITY INFRASTRUCTURE

City Power Acting Chief Executive Officer Charles Tlouane has called for increased police patrols and security visibility across the Johannesburg Central Business District following the fire at Central Substation and continued incidents of theft and vandalism targeting electricity infrastructure in the Inner City.

The fire occurred during the early hours of Tuesday, 8 September 2026, and affected electricity supply to parts of Marshalltown, City and Suburban, Johannesburg Central and Selby. It was the second fire at the substation within two weeks. Investigations into the cause of the fire remain under way.

However, City Power suspects that illegal activity in the underground cable tunnels, including possible theft and vandalism, may have contributed to the incident. Another suspected attempt was seen in a video released this weekend which shows a bridge of underground tunnels with two suspects attempting to pull a cable through an open manhole, tied behind a minibus taxi. This happens while parts of the network were off due to the fire at Central Substation.

The footage is being reviewed and will be shared with the relevant law enforcement agencies. It is clear that criminals are taking advantage of electricity outages because they perceive the risk of electrocution to be lower when sections of the network are switched off.

This leaves underground cables, manholes, tunnel entrances and related electricity infrastructure vulnerable and at increased risk.

“We are under siege in the Inner-City. We are calling for increased visibility by the South African Police Service and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, particularly along streets with electricity manholes and known access points into the underground tunnel network,” said Tlouane

“Criminals appear to be watching for outages, often trigger them, and using these periods to enter the tunnels and target cables. Our technical teams cannot restore damaged infrastructure while criminals continue to strip or vandalise other sections of the network. Visible policing during the day and at night will assist in securing these areas and preventing further damage.”

The Inner-City electricity network includes approximately 14 kilometres of underground tunnels, around 81 manholes and several substations that are physically connected to the tunnel system. These include Fordsburg, Central, City Gen, Durban Street, Bree, Kazerne, Pritchard and Braamfontein substations.

Criminals can enter the tunnels through different manholes and interconnected municipal passages. This makes the network difficult to secure through deployments at individual substations alone. Increased police surveillance and patrols around streets containing manholes and tunnel entrances would help identify unauthorised access and suspicious activity before infrastructure is damaged.

The Inner-City recorded 156 incidents of cable theft and vandalism during the 2025/26 financial year. Across City Power’s supply areas, more than 20% of electricity outages are linked to theft and vandalism, with approximately R260 million spent on related repairs during the previous financial year.

In January 2025, a City Power repair team was ambushed while restoring electricity supply in the CBD. The armed confrontation left two suspected cable thieves dead and a City Power employee injured.
In February 2025, five suspects were arrested after being found targeting cables in the Fordsburg and Bree underground tunnels.

The arrests followed another armed confrontation between law enforcement officers and suspected cable thieves at Fordsburg Substation. During the first two months of 2025 alone, City Power recorded five armed confrontations involving technical teams, security personnel and groups targeting underground electricity cables in the Inner City.
The criminal activity continued into 2026. During January 2026, City Power recorded 112 infrastructure-related incidents across its supply areas, including 12 incidents in the Inner City.

Many of the Inner-City incidents involved repeated unauthorised access to underground tunnels and the deliberate cutting and removal of copper cables by zama zamas who live underground.
In July 2026, three suspects were arrested in Bree Street after allegedly being found cutting City Power cables.
Stolen copper cable and an air gun were recovered, while the vehicle allegedly used during the crime was impounded.

In a separate incident during the same month, approximately 400 metres of low-voltage cable was stolen from underground tunnels in the Jeppe area. The replacement value of the stolen cable alone was estimated at R250,000, excluding specialised equipment, transportation, labour, testing and reinstatement of the network.

During one weekend in July 2026, City Power recorded 19 infrastructure-related security incidents across Johannesburg. These included eight confirmed cable theft incidents, two attempted cable thefts, vandalism and infrastructure fires.

Preliminary losses from only five of those incidents exceeded R311,000.
“These incidents point to organised criminal activity, which is well-funded and well-resourced. Those responsible enter the tunnels with cutting equipment, identify valuable cables and, in some cases, return after being disturbed by security personnel. They are heavily armed and are prepared to use violence against employees and law enforcement officers,” said Tlouane.

“The impact extends beyond the replacement value of the stolen material. Cable theft can cause fires, damage equipment, disable protection systems and interrupt electricity supply to households, businesses, hospitals, schools and other institutions. It also places our employees and security personnel in direct danger.”

City Power has strengthened security deployments at high-risk substations and continues to conduct regular tunnel inspections, hotspot patrols and joint operations with law enforcement agencies. Further interventions include improved monitoring and surveillance systems, stronger access controls and targeted security technology at critical electricity installations.

A R40 million rehabilitation project is planned for the underground tunnels. The work will include structural repairs, improved lighting, ventilation and drainage systems, as well as upgraded security and access-control measures.
City Power is also working with businesses, residential associations, Community Policing Forums and private security companies through its Community Partnership Programme.

These partnerships assist with monitoring infrastructure, reporting suspicious activity and improving responses to criminal incidents.
However, the number of access points and the extent of the underground network require a wider and more visible law enforcement presence throughout the CBD.
“City Power’s resources should be used to replace ageing infrastructure, strengthen the network and improve the reliability of electricity supply. Instead, substantial funding and technical capacity are repeatedly redirected towards security and repairing damage caused by criminal activity,” Tlouane said.

“We need a coordinated response involving the SAPS, JMPD, private security companies, building owners, businesses and communities. Protecting electricity infrastructure is essential to the functioning of the Inner City and the broader Johannesburg economy,”

Tlouane added.
City Power appeals to businesses, property owners and private security companies operating in the CBD to monitor streets and buildings close to electricity manholes and tunnel access points. Any person seen opening a manhole, cutting cables, loading cables into a vehicle or working on electricity infrastructure without proper identification and a clearly marked City Power vehicle must be reported immediately.
Members of the public must not confront suspected criminals.

Suspicious activity may be reported through the following channels: City Power Risk Control: 011 490 7911 or 011 490 7900. WhatsApp: 083 597 4497. City of Johannesburg Anonymous Tip-offs Hotline: 0800 002 587 Information may be provided anonymously.