Sol Plaatje Municipality (SPM) strongly condemns the relentless attacks on its infrastructure by cable theft syndicates, with the latest incident caused by the recent flooding of the subway in Hull Street resulting in motorists being unable to utilise the road.
Cable theft directly affects service delivery to all our residents, more importantly, the vulnerable. On 10th November 2022, a site inspection was conducted at Hull Street Subway by Municipal and independent engineers. The pumps were fully functional.
Signage will be put up at all three subways within the SPM jurisdiction to warn motorists of any potential danger when approaching the road.
Theft, damage and vandalism of municipal infrastructure are worrying factors that have reached crisis levels in the municipality. Moving forward, SPM will look at alternative means to strategically lay cables so criminals cannot access them.
This year the municipality has lost over R750 000 on cable theft alone. The latest incident will drain further hundreds of thousands from the coffers of the already financially burdened SPM.
Without question, cable theft hampers service delivery programmes on the part of the municipality and its consumers.
Rationally, SPM will not allow a situation whereby its infrastructure is subjected to an onslaught of deliberate damages by criminal elements.
The municipality further urges residents to assist by reporting and guarding against the vandalism of its infrastructure. Residents are requested to contact their nearest SAPS offices to report incidents.
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