OR Tambo District Municipality is struggling with widespread vandalism and theft of infrastructure assets, severely affecting service delivery and resulting in millions of rands being spent on repairs.
The municipal spokesperson, Zimkhitha Macingwane, highlighted that these issues are particularly prevalent in the King Sabata Dalindyebo and Nyandeni local municipalities. “Vandals target our generators, electrical cables, and components such as electrical panels. Since last financial year, around 15 cases have been reported to the police. Repairing the damaged infrastructure could cost the municipality nearly R20 million, and we have allocated approximately R40 million for operations and maintenance this financial year,” she explained.
Macingwane added that aside from routine operations and maintenance, the municipality also bears the burden of repairing stolen infrastructure. Notably, in November 2023, they spent over R240 000 fixing the water scheme in the Nohiya area near Qunu, only for the infrastructure to be vandalised and stolen again shortly after repairs.
In a recent incident at Nyandeni Local Municipality, electrical cables were stolen in the Thabo Mbeki area, rendering six boreholes non-functional and disrupting the water supply to Libode and surrounding regions.
Executive Mayor Mesuli Ngqondwana noted, “At one time, due to theft and vandalism, 700 households were deprived of clean drinking water. We urge anyone with information about these incidents to report it to the authorities. Such crimes not only cost the municipality millions but also leave thousands of households without access to clean water.”
A report by Mthatha Express on November 14 mentioned that essential services at St Barnabas Hospital in Libode were severely disrupted on November 7 following the theft of a water pump and the vandalism of the metering system.
