The ongoing cable theft in the Johannesburg Metro should no longer be tolerated, as it paralyses businesses’ operations and disrupts residents’ lives. Urgent solutions must be found for this type of crime.
Between July 2024 and March 2025, City Power suffered losses of R114 million as a direct result of cable theft.
This is a serious crime and undermines the Metro’s ability to deliver sustainable services.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) calls on the Metro to collaborate with law enforcement agencies, utility companies and communities in taking decisive action to combat this crisis.
The party proposes that specialised anti-cable theft units should be urgently reinforced through partnering with the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) and City Power.
Such joint operations have already led to 132 arrests in 2025, but high-risk areas such as Alexandra, Roodepoort and the central business district require greater manpower and faster response times.
Furthermore, technology-driven prevention measures should be intensified, including the installation of closed-circuit television cameras, alarm systems and underground sensors at hotspots.
This approach has already been successfully implemented at Lenasia substations, and could help to swiftly identify and apprehend offenders.
Regulation of the scrap metal trade should also be tightened. The closure of 1 079 unregistered scrapyards in Gauteng in 2025 has partially disrupted the supply chain for stolen copper, but further action is needed to achieve success.
The Freedom Front Plus also advocates for facilitating greater community involvement through expanding neighbourhood watch programmes and offering rewards for residents who report suspicious activities via dedicated hotlines, such as City Power’s 24-hour contact centre.
Awareness campaigns, similar to those launched in 2024, should be repeated and expanded.
The Metro could also seriously consider replacing copper cables with alternative materials such as aluminium or composite fibres, which are less valuable to thieves.
Eskom’s pilot projects show that this approach significantly reduces the potential profit of cable theft.
The party will relentlessly keep working to implement a coordinated and proactive strategy in Johannesburg to protect critical infrastructure.
Residents deserve a Metro that safeguards its assets and guarantees service delivery.
Freedom Front Plus Name Change: The party changed its name to Freedom Front Plus in 2003.
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