Eersterust cable theft weighing heavy on residents’ pockets

The increase in cable theft in Eersterust has left community members restless as they endure long hours without electricity and water.

According to community members, most cable thefts occur when it’s raining or in the early hours of the morning.

Taahirah Kalika, a ward 43 resident affected by the cable theft, said often they would not have water for as long as four days and go without electricity for almost three days.

“My family has been residing in Eersterust for over six years. Every year the crime in the area gets worse. Many days, I can’t cook for my family because we are without electricity and water. The cable theft has also left a dent in our pockets because we often have to replace food which expired once the freezer has defrosted,” said Kalika.

She said that she had a one-year-old baby who was teething and a daughter who was just starting pre-school and many nights the children could not watch television or take a bath.

Kalika also runs a bakery from her home, which she could not operate on days without water and electricity.

“We cannot afford generators or converters. Our electricity bill is quite high because when the power is restored, it uses more units to start up the appliances and heat the water,” said Kalika.

In response, community members in Eersterust have joined forces with several security companies to start their own neighbourhood night watch.

The founder of the initiative, Noeline De Gee, said they have been patrolling the community at their own expense to put an end to all illegal activities in the area.

“It’s so horrible to wake up in the morning and not have any electricity. Your internet does not work and you can’t work from home. We have also closed down shops which operate illegally for 24 hours,” said De Gee.

Ward councillor Benjamin Lawrence said the cable theft in the area was “an act of terrorism”.

“I am, however, pleased with how the community is taking the initiative in dealing with the matter.

“I fully support the community and their neighbourhood night watch. We have seen a drop in the cable theft, but we need more active members on the ground because we have 9 000 households in the area,” said Lawrence.

Eersterust police spokesperson Sergeant Sam Shibambo said they were aware of the rise in the theft of copper cables.

He said police have increased their patrols in the affected areas.

“We have also arrested several suspects in the area for copper cable theft and tampering with essential infrastructure. The secondhand goods businesses such as scrap yards and recycling facilities are frequently visited and inspected by the police to discourage owners from buying stolen cables,” said Shibambo.

He encouraged community members conducting patrols in the area to liaise with the Eersterust CPF.

ALSO READ: Help find missing Moot man

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram