Cable theft has been plaguing Umtshezi Municipality over the past months with costs escalating and theft reports increasing. The electricity department is inundated with faults related to cable theft, which is rampant throughout Umtshezi. These acts have escalated to such an extent that thieves are breaking into substations and electrical enclosures to steal cables.

Remote areas such as Power Crescent (along Loskop Road), Lorne Street extension and Louise Street have been targeted recently. The municipality suspects that the cable thieves are using the railway tracks as a chosen route to move the cables. Speaking about the cable theft cases, Acting Municipal Manager Elphas Dladla said that residential areas are being targeted between midnight and 6am.

“This seemed to occur from Thursdays to Sundays at first but now the pattern has changed to anytime during the week and weekends. Theft has also been noted during the day around remote areas, such as the old Burhose Factory,” he said. Access to substations and electrical enclosures has become a grave concern as locks are being damaged and removed. Besides the theft, the perpetrators also run the risk of electrocution.

“Please report any persons loitering around municipal infrastructure, such as substations, streetlight poles and mini-substations to the police and municipality,” said Mr Dladla adding that the municipality will not be held responsible for any claims should the community be aware of an unsafe situation and not report it to the municipality.

Recent reports of cable theft have been received on Friday, September 18 in Alfred Street, Sunday at the substation in Connor Street and on Monday morning at the corner of Pylon Avenue and De Waal Drive.

Call the Estcourt police on 036 342 9525 or Umtshezi Municipality on 036 342 7800 to report cable theft.