POLOKWANE – Exposed municipal electrical wiring has become a common sight in many areas of the city.
This problem is causing a lot of trouble for both the municipality and residents.
While the municipality has to keep doing repairs, parents are trying to make sure their children do not go near these exposed wires which, with some 220 volts running through it, poses a very real danger.
According to municipal spokesperson, Matshidiso Mothapo, vandalism and theft are often responsible for the exposed wiring found on streetlight poles and electrical boxes.
Metal plates are removed to be sold to scrap metal dealers, leaving the wiring exposed. The metal covers are worth less than R1 each when sold.
Ladanna is one of the areas affected by this type of vandalism and, according to John Makhubela, a resident of Ladanna, the wires are placed about 40cm from the ground, which is the ideal height for a curious child to investigate.
Jaco Smit from Reclam Scrap Metal said it was not always possible to see if a piece of metal was municipal property as it did not have any identifying markings. “There are many safety precautions that we make use of to ensure that we do not buy stolen metal. These include requesting proof if ID as well as a contact number. I also take a photo of the items sold and keep it on record to ensure that there is proof if a problem should arise,” Smit explained.
Mothapo said besides the metal plates being removed, another problem was that the padlocks were also being stolen off municipal electrical boxes.
He urged residents to report any exposed wiring they came across to (015) 290 2490.
