Theft of electricity brings community to its knees

ROOSENEKAL – The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling for an urgent intervention of the Limpopo South African Police Service (SAPS) Commissioner, Thembi Hadebe in the escalating theft of electricity in Roosenekal outside Groblersdal.

The DA said in excess of R10.5 million worth of damages had been inflicted on the electricity infrastructure in the area but SAPS appeared disinterested in bringing the culprits to book.

The party said that power outages, as a result of cable theft, have become the daily norm for residents in the town, sometimes for days on end.

Lindy Wilson, DA constituency head in the citrus valley, said the entire town came to a halt and residents at the area’s old age home were suffering without access to simple amenities to help them cope.

Wilson further said that the local clinic, which did not have a generator, could not keep medicines at correct temperatures.

“The police station, which according to residents closes at 6pm each evening, seems oblivious to the problem and has done nothing to bring the criminals to book. The townsfolk themselves are capable of finding the damaged poles but police seem to be blind to them. The locals say that anyone visiting the station after 7pm will find the station doors closed and officers asleep on branches,” said Wilson.

Wilson said apart from petitioning the provincial commissioner, the party would submit questions to the Police Minister, Bheki Cele, for explanation into the Roosenekal police station.

“We cannot sit back and allow incompetence and lack of accountability of our police force to bring an entire town to its knees,” concluded Wilson.