EAST RAND - Ekurhuleni police officers who stood by and watched community members uprooting and stealing copper cables are in hot water.
Videos posted on social media show a group of Reiger Park residents in digging out electric cables.
The officers will now face disciplinary action for failing to act.
Some of the stolen copper cables have since been recovered.
Ekurhuleni District Commissioner Major General Anna Sithole has condemned the incident.
She has deployed extra officers to Reiger Park Police Station following the incident.
The extra police comprise of members from the District, Essential Infrastructure Task Team and Public Order Police.
A case of damage to infrastructure has since been opened and no arrests have been made.