By Anita Dangazele
Copper cables costing more than R250,000 were stolen at the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality warehouse over three consecutive weeks.
According to DA NMB spokesperson for Electricity and Energy Ondela Kepe, criminals have become so brazen that they break in during broad daylight.
“There have been alarming reports of daylight robberies at gunpoint, further endangering municipal employees,” he said.
He said the metro has lost two 132m cables, costing the city more than R250,000.
The first incident of theft occurred on Tuesday 27 August, with the second one on Monday 2 September and the latest incident on Monday 9 September.
Kepe said despite these escalating incidents the municipality has not done anything to protect its employees.
“The repeated theft at the warehouse is not just a criminal act, but a clear example of leadership failure in Nelson Mandela Bay,” he added.
In August, large parts of Nelson Mandela Bay spent a week without power after pylon structures collapsed due to a lack of maintenance.
“The metro’s ability to maintain critical infrastructure is being undermined, leaving parts of our city at risk of falling into darkness. Criminality thrives in darkness and this places the safety of residents at risk,” he said.
He said for the past year there has been no security at the site.
“Thieves, emboldened by weak security measures, have targeted this site with alarming regularity – exposing both municipal employees and the citizens to danger and uncertainty. Yet, what has been the response from the current coalition leadership? Silence.”
He wrote to acting city manager Mandla George with a number of proposals:
• A new, stronger brick wall around the warehouse to replace the easily breached slab structure.
• Reinstallation of an electric fence and CCTV cameras to ensure proper surveillance and deterrence.
• Armed security guards to patrol the property 24/7 and protect the city’s assets.
Pictured above: Cables cut and stolen by criminals.
Source: Supplied
