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Cable thieves blamed for poor supply of Polokwane electricity

MENDING: Polokwane council workers fixing electricity cables after thieves struck. Pic: CHESTER MAKANA. Circa February 2010. © Sowetan
MENDING: Polokwane council workers fixing electricity cables after thieves struck. Pic: CHESTER MAKANA. Circa February 2010. © Sowetan

The Polokwane municipality has attributed its lack of effective electricity supply to ratepayers to rampant cable theft in the past few weeks.

The latest incident allegedly happened at Ster Park, a suburb of Polokwane, on Monday night. Thieves stole a 60metre cable, the value of which is estimated at nearly R30000.

This latest incident brought the total length of electrical cable stolen from the municipality to more than 200metres.

The municipality has estimated the cost of the stolen cable at between R250000 and R400000.

Municipal spokesperson Phuti Lekganyane said yesterday technicians were working around the clock to replace the stolen cable.

Lekganyane said it took the council nearly two days to replace a cable that was stolen in Extension 44 outside the city recently.

"The theft of electric cable has a negative effect on the service that the municipality provides," he said.

Lekganyane said the modus operandi used by the cable thieves was to set fire to the live wire and then cut it.

He said experts had told them this was dangerous.

Lekganyane said a cable thief died at the Seshego industrial park last year after being electrocuted.

"We appeal to members of the community to report such incidents to police as this often affects the provision of effective services to residents," he added.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Moatshe Ngoepe said yesterday they were investigating a case of theft and that they were still looking for suspects.

"We also appeal to any person who might shed light on the matter to come forward with information that might lead to the arrest and subsequent prosecution of the perpetrators," said Ngoepe.

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