Media statement 20 September 2023
Cllr Themba Fosi
MMC for Utilities and Regional Operations and Coordination
The City is pleased to report that power has been successfully restored to affected areas in Pretoria East following incidents of vandalism and theft at Heatherley Substation in the early hours of Monday morning.
During the scheduled load-shedding hours, about 20 individuals stormed the substation and held the security personnel at gunpoint. At least nine medium-voltage cables were stolen and the substation vandalised, which resulted in a fire.
Our teams have since been working around the clock to ensure that the power is restored to all the affected areas. The vandalism and theft disrupted the power supply to parts of Pretoria East, causing major inconvenience to residents. We understand the frustration and inconvenience this has caused, and we want to express our gratitude for your patience and understanding during this challenging time.
We want to assure residents that all communities that are fed from Heatherley Substation have now been switched back on. Parts of Nellmapius Ext 8 and 12 have also been reconnected to the power grid. Affected households and businesses in these areas can now resume their normal activities.
The City takes acts of theft and vandalism seriously and is actively working with law enforcement agencies to investigate this incident. We are committed to ensuring the safety and reliability of our electrical infrastructure.
We want to thank our dedicated teams, including technicians, electricians and support staff, for their tireless efforts to restore power swiftly. Your commitment to service is greatly appreciated.
We also want to extend our gratitude to the affected residents and businesses for their cooperation and understanding during this challenging time. Your support is invaluable as we work together to keep our city powered up and safe.
Enquiries: Cllr Themba Fosi (thembamandlaf@tshwane.gov.za)