<center><img src="https://i.imgur.com/0T0qOin.jpg"/></center>

[source](https://www.cbn.co.za/featured/load-shedding-to-continue-on-wednesday/)

**It is getting to the point that citizens now need to do their own patrols to protect the infrastructure during times of power outages. The police cannot be relied upon anymore so it is up to everyone else.**

South Africa and it's fragile economy is currently under attack from thieves 
deliberately stealing power cables to earn some money. The ramifications are being felt as businesses have not had power for the entire week. Not everyone has massive generators as back up and the need is more so than ever now.
<center><img src="https://i.imgur.com/AAqDCOR.jpg"/></center>

[source](https://www.ecr.co.za/news/news/stage-two-loadshedding-returns-eskom-confirms/)

**Everyone can see the schedules and the only solution is to just not warn people when it will happen.**

This week we have seen a new trend that has started to happen making load shedding even more perilous. South Africa has been experiencing "load shedding for over 10 years now but lately the scheduled 2 or 4 hours can be extended without warning. Criminal activity is using the scheduled power cuts to steal the cables in that particular area. The schedules are common knowledge and this is across the entire country so thieves can plan where they will steal cables next. What is sick is they will steal the cable wait for the repairs to happen and then plunder the same spot when load shedding occurs again. Africa unfortunately as this is what we have come to expect.

Last week Monday where my family business is situated they had a scheduled load shedding between 10am and 2pm and have not had power since. The cable thieves had 4 hours of stealing creating so much havoc. Two of the criminal gang died on the scene being electrocuted and the repair crew unfortunately also ended up in hospital. Funny but not so funny I suppose as even the power provider doesn't stick to their schedules exactly and possibly why the crooks were fried.
<center><img src="https://i.imgur.com/zjA4nxi.jpg"/></center>

[source](https://www.techfinancials.co.za/2021/10/29/cable-theft-threatens-joburg-fresh-produce/)

This same modus operandi is happening across the country leaving many who had power with no power. The only answer is better policing and harsher penalties like the death penalty as the economy cannot carry on like this for much longer. Prison is not good enough and those involved and those purchasing the stolen goods should be dealt with severely. Imagine owning a business having to rely on a generator to get by.
<center><img src="https://i.imgur.com/wnHIyrf.jpg)"/></center>

[source](https://www.newframe.com/not-all-joburgs-street-traders-are-trading/)

This week we saw the Johannesburg agricultural market have their electricity disrupted which then became more permanent with cable theft. The last 5 days they have had no power and farmers have had to rely on their own generators. That is 5000 famers who now have to worry about selling and storing their produce safely. This impacts price and food quality as suddenly extra costs have to be covered due to storage and cold rooms that were once used now being useless. If one place has a case for going solar this is it as this cannot continue going on like this.
<center><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vYkfLP9.jpg"/></center>

[source](https://twitter.com/follow_transnet/status/1451584728780480526/photo/1)

The railways with their high voltage electric overhead cables are being hit regularly and here is the last weeks report outlining just how bad this is currently. 33 Kilometers in just one week is a massive cost to replace that is ongoing. I thought just to show you how constant the theft is I will add the week prior to the one above.
<center><img src="https://i.imgur.com/WM0FOYt.jpg"/></center>

[source]( https://twitter.com/follow_transnet/status/1448999799123025921/photo/1)

The gently gently approach is not working so a shoot first and ask questions after is what is required now. The time of warnings and receiving a slap for being a bad boy is over as this is becoming critical for businesses to make it through after already experiencing a seriously bad 18 months.

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