With the continuous stage 6 loadshedding, the possibility of cable theft in Stellenbosch and surrounds has increased. This was according to Stuart Grobbelaar, communications manager at Stellenbosch Municipality.
“During loadshedding hours, cable theft tends to become more prevalent as the electricity supply is turned off for hours on end by Eskom,” said Grobbelaar via written correspondence with SMF News.
This makes it easier for cable thieves to operate, as the safety risks related to stealing the cables are diminished, stated Grobbelaar.
However, the “municipality deals with all interruptions of electricity complaints without differentiating between unplanned power failures and infrastructure vandalism”, said Grobbelaar.
Loadshedding hours make it “easier for [cable thieves] to strike, especially during the night and early morning hours”, according to Stuart Grobbelaar, communications manager for Stellenbosch Municipality. PHOTO: Jan-Hendrik de Villiers
Straining budgets
Cable theft is not unique to the Stellenbosch Municipal area, said Grobbelaar, but it does place additional pressure on the municipality’s budget, as they are required to replace stolen cables.
It also stretches their law enforcement resources that “could have been used elsewhere to combat other forms of crime or by-law contraventions”, according to Grobbelaar.
The municipality relies on residents to inform them, or the South African Police Service (SAPS), when the theft of cables occurs, “so that criminals can be caught and criminal cases opened”, said Grobbelaar.
When power outages occur, Stellenbosch Municipality’s main priority is for the operational staff to attend to repairs, “to ascertain the cause and restore supply”, according to Stuart Grobbelaar, communications manager at the municipality. PHOTO: Jan-Hendrik de Villiers
Law enforcement response
Last year, a special task team was established to deal with cable theft, said captain Nathalie Martin, communications officer at the Stellenbosch branch of the SAPS, via email correspondence with SMF News.
“[The] task force has proactive and reactive taskings to combat cable theft,” according to captain Louise du Plessis, Paarl SAPS communication official.
The special task team is employed by the Cape Winelands district office and is run by the Groot Drakenstein SAPS, said Du Plessis.
“Patrols are carried out daily and, depending on intelligence gathering, extra operations are usually held in the identified areas,” she added.
The team consists of policing members, and detectives from SAPS who “are joined, when required, by investigators or operators from the municipality, Eskom, Telkom and other agencies involved in cable theft”, said Du Plessis.
A special task team was established in the Groot Drakenstein area last year to specifically deal with cable theft, said Captain Nathalie Martin, communications officer at the Stellenbosch branch of the South African Police Service. PHOTO: Jan-Hendrik de Villiers