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Buffalo City’s cable-theft crisis has taken a dangerous new turn, with thieves ripping open underground infrastructure and leaving a trail of exposed manholes that residents warn could cost lives.
Across Southernwood, manhole covers have been removed to access underground electrical, telecommunications and water infrastructure, leaving gaping holes near schools, healthcare facilities, homes and businesses.
Residents say several people have already fallen into the openings, some of which are filled with water and contain underground electrical infrastructure, while others remain hidden from view until it is too late.
The latest incidents come barely a month after the Dispatch reported on rampant cable theft that plunged parts of Beacon Bay, Parkside, Parkridge, Pefferville and CC Lloyd into weeks of repeated power outages as repair crews battled relentless vandalism.
Last week, one Beacon Bay residence was robbed of copper piping over three consecutive nights.
Now thieves appear to be targeting underground networks.
For the past two weeks, residents say criminals have been removing manhole covers and digging trenches to reach buried cables, believed to be stripped for their copper before being sold as scrap metal.
The Dispatch found several open manholes along St James Road and adjoining streets.
At the corner of King Street and St James Road, three manholes stood uncovered, with electrical cables below visibly cut.
Nearby, fresh trenches had been dug where underground infrastructure had been targeted.
Community members say they have repeatedly reported the danger to Buffalo City Metro, only to be told that some of the affected infrastructure belonged to telecommunications companies.
Recently, a suspected cable thief was caught inside one of the manholes by a security officer.
One resident, who said they had complained to the municipality, said a student had already fallen into one of the open manholes.
“Fortunately, she was with her classmates, who were able to help pull her out, God forbid if she was walking alone,” she said.
“People are falling in because they can’t see them. It is not like they are left open because of maintenance.
“We have reported this to the municipality. BCM said they will send people, but then they said they belong to Telkom.”
She said residents feared something “tragic” could happen because several of the exposed manholes were close to children’s daycare centres.
She also expressed frustration that municipal officials had reportedly undertaken to secure the manholes but had taken too long to do so.
Resident Edmore Makasi said the uncovered manholes were a daily sight.
“We are fortunate that we haven’t had our cable feed disconnected because it is hard to reach. Every morning they [manholes] are opened.
“At first I thought the homeless people who used to sleep at gates were using them as a place of shelter. Then I noticed the cables inside.”
The problem is not confined to one block.
A resident at Windermere Court said several electrical poles had recently been vandalised, leaving residents without electricity.
Outside the complex, the Dispatch found another uncovered manhole with severed cables and freshly dug trenches nearby.
“This thing of opening manholes and digging is new. I really don’t know what they gain from this but I suspect they are looking for copper,” she said.
At Life St Dominics Hospital, security staff said vandalism had become increasingly common.
At least two manholes near the St James Road entrance had been left open after cables were cut, while Southernwood Park, opposite the hospital, has also suffered repeated vandalism.
“I’ve never seen them, but I think the one here next to us does not have the type of cables they are looking for because they cut them and left them there.
“We only had an issue sometime last year where they dug up and cut water pipelines on the ground.
“I don’t know what for, but they left it open.
“Clearly it has to be someone on drugs because as you can see, they vandalised the gate here at the park. Where do you start fixing that?” explained one of the security guards who spoke to the Dispatch.
Security company Red Alert said the crime was not new but appeared to be increasing.
Brett Harvey said though the theft of cables from manholes was “not as prominent as traditional cable theft”, the company had dealt with similar incidents across Buffalo City.
“We have had reports and arrested suspects stealing cables from manholes, also stealing the manhole covers now and then to sell as scrap metal.
“This type of crime has occurred in most of the areas in the city.
“We have a good relationship with BCM and when reporting damage to them, they are always quick to assist us and the community.”
Ward councillor for the area Lorna Hali said municipal street cleaners had first alerted her to the danger.
“They said they feared people might fall in, so I reported it to the city for them to attend to.
“I haven’t received reports of people who have fallen yet but I told the municipality that this is an accident waiting to happen and they need to treat it with urgency,” she said.
Buffalo City Metro spokesperson Luzuko Buku said the city was aware of the infrastructure being targeted, adding that they were “not random acts of petty crime but very organised”.
“We have recently addressed a critical complaint near Caxton and Cambridge Streets, where a manhole was found damaged and electrical cables were left dangerously exposed.
“This is being attended to, with urgent repairs ongoing and this includes securing the site,” Buku said.
“The municipality alone cannot fulfil the task of fighting cable theft, and this is why we are participating in multi-stakeholder bodies.
“We have a dedicated cable theft task team that works directly with the SAPS, community safety forums, and all security partners to track, intercept, and prosecute syndicates targeting our grid.”
The latest theft comes days after police arrested nine men, aged between 26 and 46, near Kenton-on-Sea and recovered suspected stolen copper cable valued at about R600,000.
Police said officers acted on information about an Isuzu bakkie travelling from KuGompo City towards Gqeberha carrying a suspiciously heavy load.
After the vehicle reportedly broke down on the R72, an intelligence-driven operation led to the recovery of 1,619.18kg of suspected stolen copper cable concealed beneath a mattress.
A second vehicle contained equipment allegedly used in cable theft.
Three vehicles and 11 cellphones were seized and the suspects were arrested on charges of possessing suspected stolen property.
Daily Dispatch
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