RESIDENTS of Alexandra had a cold night on Tuesday.
This came after the Vasco Da Gama substation in the Joburg kasi was burned down in a suspected act of vandalism.
It was the second fire in a space of two weeks, leaving half of the kasi’s households without power for two days.
City Power spokesman Isaac Mangena said technicians worked overnight to restore electricity to the area.
He said power would be restored within three or four days.
“The fire raged through the substation, destroying cables on the ground. This means there needs to be digging so repairs can take place,” he said.
Mangena said he suspected cable theft was the reason for the fire.
“The main gate to the substation was found open, indicating someone interrupted the distribution system,” he said.
Mangena said the city would investigate and pleaded with residents to report vandalism to the police.
“The infrastructure belongs to the community. They should protect and report any suspicious activity around substations,” he added.
Meanwhile, Joburg Metro police spokesman Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said the city had made many arrests in connection to cable theft.
