Johannesburg - Power was restored to parts of Roodepoort on Monday afternoon after two acts of cable theft left a man dead, a sub-station aflame, and areas without power, Johannesburg City said.
City Power spokesman Sol Masolo said in a statement technicians had restored power to Kloofendal, Allensnek, Strubens Valley, Poortview, Honeydew, and Wilgeheuwel by 2pm.
The supply had also been reinstated in Little Falls, Constantia Kloof, and Weltenvredenpark.
Cable theft at a Roodetown substation left the surrounding area without power from 7am.
“Due to the fact that the protection cables at the Roodetown substation have been stolen, an attempted cable theft at Roodepoort caused fire which burned one of the transformers, causing the power interruption,” Masolo said.
City Power officials found an electrocuted body at the Roodepoort station.
The fire at the sub-station also knocked out traffic lights, resulting in traffic jams, the Johannesburg metro police said.
Senior Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said power to the traffic lights was expected to be out for the rest of the day.
Minnaar said morning traffic was “very, very heavy” as a result of the power outage.
Metro police officials had been deployed to direct traffic at the main intersections in Roodepoort. - Sapa