In recent weeks, there has been a significant increase in water meter theft in town. Residents have reported stolen water meters on several WhatsApp groups. This surge has caused homeowners immense frustration and put an unnecessary financial strain on the municipality as they replace these meters.
While streetlights are slowly being repaired to improve visibility at night, unfortunately a large portion of the town still remains in darkness. This darkness provides the perfect opportunity for thieves to operate.
Ward Councillor Elaine Rodway commented that, “Theft and vandalism of municipal infrastructure is an ongoing problem that only adds to the challenges we are already facing, especially with regards to water. With some parts of town experiencing daily interruptions to the water supply, we simply cannot afford any additional setbacks to the delivery of basic services.
“It only adds further strain to an already strained system. I implore scrap dealers to exercise vigilance when accepting goods that may have been acquired illegally. We must take a hard stance against those who stand in the way of progress and service delivery in our community.
“I would also urge the municipality to treat the issue of streetlights as a matter of urgency. It’s not a luxury to have streetlights these days – when crime is so rife in our communities, it’s a matter of safety. While we cannot change the ways of criminals, we can certainly make an effort to make it harder for them to operate in our town.”
The question arises though: Is this theft purely for scrap metal or is there possible sabotage involved as well?

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The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.