SECUNDA – It has been 10 years since a resident caught a meter reader breaking open electrical distribution boxes in the neighbourhood of Satara and Eric Uys Street in Secunda.
It has also been 10 years since he reported the matter to the Govan Mbeki Municipality, yet these boxes are still open and easily accessible to any passerby.
Mr Gert Jordaan jotted down his encounter with the meter reader on 16 March 2009.
“I was in my garage that morning when I heard banging in the street.
“I found the meter reader with a rock in the hand, breaking off the padlocks on the distribution boxes.
“When I confronted him, he said he lost the key for the padlocks of all the boxes in the area. He continued to break open several boxes in the area that morning, even after being confronted,” recalled Mr Jordaan.
He immediately phoned the municipality, but was just more frustrated afterwards.
“I eventually went to the municipal offices on 19 March 2009 to report the vandalism, but was sent from office to another until I met with one Thabo in room 334.
He said he will look into the matter, but nothing further happened.”
Mr Jordaan came across these notes in his garage recently and went on a fact finding mission to all the distribution boxes in Satara and Eric Uys Street to see whatever had happened to his complaint.
“Sure enough, the boxes were still open, the latches still broken and the content are still accessible to all. What if a child decides to fiddle inside?”
The Govan Mbeki Municipality followed up on the inquiries and responded this week.
Mr Benzi Soko, spokesman, said the problem of open electricity distribution boxes is being addressed.
“The municipality has decided to introduce a new electronic locking system instead of the padlock ones.
“This system has been installed so far at 560 boxes around Secunda to minimise theft and damage of the municipal infrastructure,” explained Mr Soko.
