MIDVAAL. – The municipality said that as a result, communities were being inconvenienced and deprived of basic services. The municipality stated that the act of damaging municipal infrastructure makes it difficult for the municipality to deliver services to the community.

MLM Mayor Bongani Baloyi says, “The protection of public infrastructure and facilities is a societal responsibility, we need to work together as communities in Midvaal to prevent theft and vandalism of public infrastructure.”

MLM said the replacement costs of such infrastructure is extensive and needs to be funded from municipal coffers which had not been budgeted for.

“This also hampers the municipality in its mandate of expanding basic services to communities which are in desperate need of these basic services.

“Furthermore, the municipality is urging communities to report any acts of theft of vandalism as a matter of urgency and all information will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.”