The sharp increase in vandalism and theft of critical municipal infrastructure in the Merafong Local Municipality (Carletonville, Fochville, Wedela) is crippling service delivery and putting residents in a dangerous and unsustainable position.
Urgent steps to protect infrastructure are needed.
On Wednesday night, copper cables were stolen from the Bloukrans substation. On Tuesday evening, the Danie Theron Primary School was broken into and an air-conditioning system was damaged and copper cables stolen. An electricity box in Gesina Street, Carletonville, was also vandalised last week.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) regularly receives complaints from residents reporting break-ins at their homes. These break-ins are directly linked to power cables being stripped from streetlights, consequently, shrouding streets in darkness and giving criminals the opportunity to strike. Residents have no choice but to install additional lighting on their properties to protect their families and belongings.
Although the Merafong Municipality has security guards, there is simply not enough security to stop these criminal elements.
The Freedom Front Plus insists that the Municipality take decisive steps to secure infrastructure and use tax money responsibly for proper service delivery.
On 4 November, residents have the opportunity to send a clear message: Vote for the Freedom Front Plus to put a stop to maladministration, and build a Municipality where safety, accountability and service delivery come first.
