POLOKWANE – A resident recently noticed that a streetlight had fallen over in a park on the corner of Grobler and Oost Streets, with the wires exposed.
Asked about the streetlight, municipal spokesperson, Matshidiso Mothapo, says the municipality was not aware of the matter, but would send a technical team to investigate.
“Vandalism in the city is a big concern, and the main cause of incidents such as this one. We urge the community to report acts of vandalism to the police. We also urge the community not to touch any exposed wires and to report any cases of disrepair or open wires to the municipality so we can send a team,” says Mothapo.
He says damaged electricity boxes are often a result of vandalism and vehicle accidents.
“We advise the public to not try to fix or touch the boxes to avoid being electrocuted. The municipality has a turnaround time of about 48 hours to fix or seal the boxes, depending on the damage caused,” he says.
According to Mothapo, the municipality spends around R3 million to R4 million per year to maintain electrical infrastructure as a result of theft and vandalism.
“This is money that could be used for new infrastructure. We encourage the public to report such incidents to the police so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice.”
