Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Eleanor Quinta and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Ana Motaung.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Maluti-a-Phofung (MaP) will write to the Provincial Department of Community Safety and the South African Police Service to request urgent intervention and increased visible policing to combat the growing cable theft crisis across the municipality.
The DA is concerned about the growing incidences of cable theft in the MaP municipality. Cable theft causes severe damage to infrastructure, resulting in significant economic losses and disruptions to essential services.
Part of the Harrismith community was left in the dark for a week after an attempted cable theft. Cable theft is often carried out by organised crime and targets critical infrastructure. The municipality is replacing copper lines with aluminium as cables get damaged or stolen. However, it is not reducing the incentive to steal, as the aluminium cable looks identical to the copper cable.
Crime thrives in collapsed municipalities, and MAP is no exception. Cable theft is thriving due to non-working streetlights and a lack of visible policing. The costs to the municipality are astronomical, yet one has to wonder whether the highly paid contractors are not benefiting from the paralysed, ANC-run municipality’s inability to lift itself out of systemic maladministration.
Criminals take control where the government disappears. The DA’s plan is simple. Catch, Convict, Clean Up. Vote DA for the implementation of a serious, credible plan to restore law and order.