EThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda has urged members of the community to partner with the city to nip the scourge of cable theft in the bud.
For the city to pump water to reservoirs, it relies on power and in the event of any power outage, it becomes an uphill battle to provide water normally. This is as a result of water being depleted from the reservoirs after the malfunctioning of pumps. Building capacity to reservoirs takes numerous hours. This means during this process not a single drop drips from taps and this causes a frustration to residents. The current rolling blackouts have compounded the city’s woes. Kaunda calls upon the community to work with the city in these turbulent times. “We are facing a situation that is abnormal and beyond our control and requires that we work together to triumph over it. Our cables are stolen frequently and this is of major concern. Sadly, some members of the community are fully aware of this illicit behaviour and they choose not to report these criminals. We are fully aware that our people are bearing the brunt of unemployment, but stealing municipal infrastructure, is worsening our problems. This needs to come to a stop or risk to live permanently without running water” warned Kaunda.
He welcomed the arrest of two men alleged to be part of a syndicate that is stealing the city’s power cables.
“I would like to commend our law enforcement agencies who upon receiving a tip off, moved with speed and intercepted a truck laden with our cables worth over 2 million. I am calling upon institutions responsible for dispensing justice to make an example with these men. It is the responsibility of all of us to protect municipal infrastructure because the improvement of our well-being hinges upon it. Thieves must always be isolated” said Kaunda.
