Residents of Metsimaholo municipality comprising of Sasolburg, Viljoensdrift, Zamdela, Oranjeville and Deneysville are bearing the brunt of inefficacious service delivery due to infrastructure vandalism.
Communities are being inconvenienced and deprived of basic services due to the theft of water plants, sewer plants, and electrical substations including distribution equipment.
According to Metsimaholo municipality, vandalism of electrical infrastructure remains a challenge in the troubled municipality as criminal syndicates have plagued the municipality’s service delivery.
Speaking to Kasi Voice News, municipal spokesperson, Gino Alberts, says as the result of cable theft cases, the municipality has lost about R1.9-million at the hands of criminals.
“Since the beginning of the year, cables worth over R1.9-million were stolen, plunging many houses and businesses into darkness for many days,” says Alberts.
Alberts said the municipality is working tirelessly to restore electricity and water. “Our electrical department is on-site and is working very hard to restore electricity and water.”
“These onslaughts on municipal infrastructure deprive residents of their constitutional right to access basic services such as electricity and water,” he said
The municipality says cable thieves are also dismantling and vandalising apollo street lights.
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