Rampant cable theft is continuing in and around Umtshezi.
The most recent cases have been reported in Mimosadale and Wembezi.
Cable thieves have been hacking down wooden street poles and stealing meters upon meters of cable.
This crime plunges areas into darkness and this sometimes means that the cables may only be replaced about five months later.
Umtshezi Acting Municipal Manager Elphas Dladla said on Monday that the electrical department has procured the cables and metal poles to replace the damaged ones.
“However, whilst the tender was awarded, there is a 22 week waiting period for delivery on certain cables,” he added.
To curb the cable theft the municipality is, as a temporary measure, replacing the stolen cable with a different type of cable until underground cable is installed. The public is urged to report cable theft incidents to their nearest police stations.