Loss due to vandalised City Power substation

Cape Town - In response to a Fin24 user's plight after suffering damages due to a power surge - caused by the theft of copper cables - another Fin24 user shared his experience.

READ: Power surges, stolen cables and insurance

Fin24 user F.G. writes that he had a power surge on Thursday August 4 2014 at 14:00, caused by the vandalising of a substation and the theft of the copper cables.

My damage was R7 500 and the claim was rejected. I am 81-years old and a pensioner.

Here is the reply he received from the City of Johannesburg/City Power:

In terms of the City of Johannesburg municipality standardisation of electricity by-laws, the municipality is not liable for the consequences of any stoppage, failure, variation, surge or other deficiency of electricity from whatsoever cause.

Where you allege the existence of negligence on the part of the City of Johannes or City Power, kindly set these allegations out in a letter and submit proof of such negligence.

READ: Four-point plan for Eskom turnaround

In light of the above, we will not investigate your claim any further and have accordingly closed our file.

On Monday December 29 2014 at 17:00 the wooden ventilation hole of the substation door was again smashed and the copper cables removed.

The streetlights where burning white instead of yellow and exploding.

My damage was only a burnt out Bell tranformer worth R460 and I did not put in a claim.
 
Put a fence around the substation and replace the wooden doors with steel doors. These will solve a big problem.

The streetlights are still out of order.

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