Rensburg is under attack from a barrage of crimes.
There have been reports of pet poisoning, break-ins, theft and cable looting.
During the evening of June 14, the low water bridge in AG Visser Street was targeted again. The area has been the target of cable thieves in the past.
Crime Stop Security Service’s control room received numerous reports in the early hours of June 15 of power failures in the area. Their officers were sent to investigate and discovered that the cable at the bridge had been dug up and cut at one side.
It is the same area that cable thieves targeted on June 7.
“The issue is frustrating. Heidelberg police, local security companies and voluntary patrollers cannot be everywhere all the time,” said Ward 8 Clr Yvonne Combrink.
“We can’t let prolonged outages become routine. We need permanent solutions. I have arranged a meeting with the Heidelberg SAPS station commander Colonel Phiwe Ndwandwe to discuss the issues of vandalism and theft of infrastructure (including cable theft).
“Live cable after being cut is hazardous and can result in injury or death. Another concern is that some of the cut cables lie next to AG Visser Street, a stone’s throw away from Laerskool AG Visser.”
Ndwandwe said the police will put a strategic plan in place to clamp down on the issue, but they need the Lesedi Local Municipality, ward councillors and the community to get involved.
“A meeting has been requested with Heidelberg SAPS to formulate a plan to protect Heidelberg’s infrastructure,” concluded Combrinck.
