Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-06-09

The City of Johannesburg municipality has apologised to residents who were left without electricity on one of the coldest weekends.

City Power also thanked residents of Lenasia: @CityPowerJhb: “We thank people of Lenasia for bearing with us during difficult time of power restoration,” the municipality tweeted.

Residents of Lenasia, Eldorado Park, Klipspruit and Nancefield, south of Johannesburg were severely affected by the disruptions which began on Thursday last week.  

Officials said most power outages were caused by cable and steel theft.

City Power technicians in Johannesburg said it will cost an estimated R30 million to repair the pylons which collapsed in Lenasia after it was dismantled by criminals.

Parts of Johannesburg were without power as officials struggled to set up a temporary power lines on Saturday.

Meanwhile police are questioning truck driver after he was caught with a full load of electric cables estimated at R5 million.

Johannesburg metro police stopped the truck in Crown near Gold Reef City with the cables after conducting routine checks.

City Power’s Louis Pieterse said it was unclear where the cables were being moved to.

“The incident needs a thorough investigation as he was caught with millions of rand worth of City Power cables.”

(Twitter: @Faizie143)