Cable theft and vandalism drain municipal finances

GEORGE NEWS - Vandalising and stealing of municipal property is costing George Municipality millions of rand in repairs and replacements every year. The Electrotechnical Services Directorate has already spent R2,3-million since the beginning of this financial year (1 July 2020) on the repair of stolen cables, streetlights, service connections and substation repairs.

From January to March 2021, the directorate has spent more than R800 000 on repairs of vandalised and stolen property.

The municipality is asking for the help of law-abiding citizens to put a stop to the vandalism and theft. The hotspot areas for cable theft are Le Vallia, Rosemoor, Thembalethu and the industrial areas.

Damage to electrotechnical infrastructure in Thembalethu is mostly due to illegal connections. On one day, Tuesday 16 March, electricians had to attend to 15 different cable theft incidents in the Borcherds and Parkdene areas.

Surveillance cameras in the areas have led to one individual being arrested for the stealing of cables. If convicted, this person will receive a prison sentence and have a criminal record. The increase in cable theft in George is a tremendous drain on the budget and apart from the wasteful expenditure incurred due to the vandalism and theft, it also leaves law-abiding citizens without power for hours on end.

Tampering with high voltage cables also is extremely dangerous to the perpetrator, and could cause death or severe injury, says Acting Director of Electrotechnical Services Steyn van der Merwe.

Rewards
George Municipality asks the public to provide it with information about theft and vandalism against municipal property or assets. A reward of R2 500 will be paid if information is provided that leads to the arrest and conviction of the persons committing the theft or vandalism.

Please contact George Municipality on 044 874 3917 or after hours on 044 801 6300. Stick to the factual details and make use of the four Ws: Where it happened, What happened, When it happened and Who did it? Help the George Municipality to Keep George Safe.

The following types of vandalism occur in the George area:

Removal of cables from trenches and wooden poles.
Removal of safety covers, pulling wiring out of poles and removing circuit breakers.
Removal of wooden poles.
Removal of overhead lines.