Two women accused of cable theft have been arrested in Bhisho, as police intensify a crackdown on the vandalism of critical infrastructure that continues to hamper service delivery across the Eastern Cape.
The women have been charged under the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act, which provides for stricter penalties for crimes involving essential infrastructure.
Details on the circumstances of their arrest were not immediately available.
Cable theft and vandalism are a growing concern in the Buffalo City Metro (BCM), rendering several systems inoperable, disrupting municipal services and placing strain on already stretched resources.
After the arrests, the metro said it had made progress in its efforts to combat the theft of infrastructure.
It urged residents to be vigilant and assist authorities by reporting suspicious activity.
Municipal spokesperson Bongani Fuzile said the problem was not unique to Buffalo City and affected metros across SA.
“Almost all the metros in the country are faced with cable theft, which disrupts service delivery,” he said.
“The metro is not at crisis level but has called for vigilance and intervention to curb the scourge.”
Every community member is vital in the eradication of cable theft within the city
— Municipal spokesperson Bongani Fuzile
Fuzile said the municipality had established a safety and security cluster to address the problem, with a focus on what he described as organised and sophisticated criminal networks.
“The safety and security cluster established a cable theft task team and has noticed that there are various factors and role players involved in cable theft in the city,” he said.
“It is believed that these role players are organised and sophisticated. These are people that know what they are doing and what they want.”
The task team comprises various SAPS units, the BCM Community Safety Forum and community policing forums.
Fuzile said community involvement was crucial in tackling the problem.
“Every community member is vital in the eradication of cable theft within the city,” he said.
“A hotline to report cable theft was set up, and communities are encouraged to utilise the number.”
Cable theft and infrastructure vandalism disrupted basic services such as electricity and water and posed serious safety risks to residents.
The municipality said it would continue working with law enforcement agencies and community structures to strengthen prevention efforts and hold perpetrators accountable.
Daily Dispatch
