Vuyolwethu Sangotsha

Vuyolwethu Sangotsha

Nine families in Sinebhongo township near East London now live in the cold and dark after thieves stole their electricity cables this week.

They have been left without electricity for almost three days now. One of the affected residents, Thenjiwe Matiwane, said the thieves cut the cables from the poles. She said residents noticed the damage the next morning.

Matiwane said: "We discovered later that the cables had been stolen. There's no one who would risk the bad weather like rain and a thunderstorm this week for nothing. It's possible these people are selling the electricity cables they stole from us," she said.

Matiwane said it was the first time they had experienced theft of electricity cables in the area. But they have heard about such incidents in neighbouring townships where some residents' food rotted because of the damage. The residents have had to resort to using candles and paraffin stoves while waiting for the municipality to fix the problem.

"Now we fear for the safety and health of our children because they are not used to candles and paraffin," Matiwane said.