Johannesburg Road Association Says Increased Traffic Light Cable Theft Cost Metro R28 Million in 5 Years

Thursday, February 09, 2023 at 1:19 PM by Lerato Mutsila 3 min read

The Johannesburg Road Association is concerned about the alarming increase in cable theft and vandalism incidents in the city
The association said that Joburg taxpayers have had to pay R28.1 million in the last five years to replace traffic robots vandalised by cable thieves
Loadshedding may be making it easier for the thieves to steal cables because the fear of being shocked is removed

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JOHANNESBURG - Cable theft in the City of Johannesburg has gotten out of control and is costing the metro millions.

Cable theft has cost Johannesburg millions in last five years — Increased cable theft has cost the city of Johannesburg R28.1m in the last five years. Image: Donwilson Odhiambo & stock photo
Source: Getty Images

The Johannesburg Road Association (JRA) said that cable theft and vandalism of traffic lights had forced the city to fork out R28.1 million in the last five years.

According to the JRA, cable theft and vandalism incidents increased at an alarming rate, particularly in 2023, even though the year had just started. In January online, there were 26 incidents in which signalised intersections were targeted.

Is loadshedding the reason behind the rise in traffic robot cable theft?

The JRA claims that cable thieves have been encouraged by the increased stages of loadshedding and have been using the widespread rolling blackouts as cover to steal copper cables.

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The association says that when the electricity is off during loadshedding, cable thieves can target electrical installations without the fear of being shocked by electricity, TimesLIVE reported.

Justice Minister Ronald Lamola's house affected by cable theft

Meanwhile, in Pretoria, a cable thief proved that even South Africa's political elite can't escape the scourge of cable theft.

Justice Minister Ronald Lamola's home was powerless after thieves targeted an electric pole outside the minister's house. The thieves stripped the pole, causing a power outage in the area.

According to SowetanLIVE, Lamola wasn't home at the time of the cable theft as he was in Cape Town preparing for the State of the Nation Address.

South Africans want government and police to take cable theft more seriously

Citizens are demanding that the government do something about the prevalence of cable theft in the area. This is what people are saying:

Marshal Murumbi-Zhanje complained:

"Close all scrapyards, we have been saying that for years. This government is so slow to act."

Sentle Adebisi Lehoko claimed:

"Intelligence units are meant to deal with specific crimes and this one is serious as it affects infrastructure."

Thula Gama demanded:

"Stricter laws and harsher sentences for actual perpetrators."

Mashudu Maluleke added:

"Our government is not doing enough about crime in our country."

Mnoneleli Pinyana commented:

"Lawlessness is engulfing our country."

Alleged cable thief stuck in ceiling at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, Mzansi fed up: “Leave him there”

In a related story, Briefly News reported that an alleged cable thief's attempt to steal copper cables from the Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in the Eastern Cape has ended in embarrassment.