Gone in three hours… Daring cable thieves ‘loadshed’ suburb from unsecured substation

The Chronicle

Flora Fadzai Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter

COPPER cables thieves are resorting to switching off electricity substations, plunging suburbs into darkness to then steal the wires.

Thieves have been wreaking havoc in Zimbabwe, targeting Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) copper cables and transformers, leaving suburbs in darkness for days or months on end. The ZETDC is now replacing copper cables with aluminium ones.

Zesa Holdings is also seeking a review of the sentence for individuals convicted of stealing power cables and transformers from 10 years to 30 years to curb the vice that is prejudicing the power utility of more than US$2 million annually.

ZETDC requires more than US$14 million to procure intruder detection gadgets to fight the scourge. The power utility has since invited whistle-blowers to curb the upsurge in vandalism and theft of electricity infrastructure.

In Bulawayo’s North End suburb some residents are living in darkness after thieves stole cables, three hours after electricity had been restored after locals had bought replacement for those that had been stolen two weeks ago.

Residents allegedly initially paid US$14 per household which went towards buying aluminum cables that were to replace copper cables that had been stolen. Their relief was short-lived as thieves hit again on another part.

Residents are blaming Zesa for negligence alleging that its Enfield Road substation is not secured, giving thieves easy access.
Mrs Salma Davids said it breaks her heart to know that they are always paying money to replace cables that are stolen because of negligence at the substation.

She said the most shocking incident happened two weeks ago when they replaced the cables only for more cables to be stolen three hours later.

“Over 18 households had each paid US$14 which was used to replace the stolen cables. These are the same cables that we are expected to replace right now. We are not happy because as long as the substation is not protected it means we are still going to buy more cables and transformers because thieves will always go to the substation and switch off the main switch,” she said.

Mrs Davids said the substation is also a hazard to children because there are times when its doors are left open and children can easily play inside.

The unsecured door through which thieves gained access into the substation

Another resident, Ms Grace Ncube said Zesa is showing them that they do not care about the substation and whether any cables get stolen in that area or not.

She said they have been coming to fix the cables in the area and not securing the substation.
“We are pleading with Zesa to come and secure this area because we are tired of always having to pay money to replace cables and transformers all because of a substation that is not secure,” she said.

Mr Josphat Dube said they had engaged Zesa over the issue to no avail.
He said even the area around the substation is not taken good care of as seen by the tall grass and dirt around it.

“No wonder the cables and transformers are all being stolen because Zesa is failing to take care of the simplest thing which is the area around the substation so taking care of the cables is close to being difficult,” Mr Dube said.

ZETDC Western region manager Engineer Lloyd Jaji said they are aware that the Enfield Road Substation is not secure.

“We are working on trying to secure the area as soon as possible. The vandalism and theft is rampant all over the city. If at the time of theft, we do not have any cables in stock, we allow those residents/clients that have the capacity and cannot wait for our due procurement process to buy replacement cables. We then credit such clients’ accounts as compensation for supply of cables,” he said.— @flora_sibanda

Article Source: The Chronicle

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