Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Cornel Dreyer
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Zeerust is deeply concerned that ongoing cable theft, coupled with poor maintenance and weak housekeeping of electrical infrastructure, continues to hold the community hostage through repeated and prolonged power outages.
Residents, businesses, schools, and clinics are increasingly affected by failures in the electricity reticulation network. The absence of effective preventative measures to secure and safeguard infrastructure has left Zeerust vulnerable, crippling economic activity, and eroding public confidence in the municipality’s ability to protect essential services.
Cable theft is no longer just a criminal act, it has become a systemic threat to the social and economic wellbeing of Zeerust. Without decisive intervention, the community risks sliding further into darkness, both literally and figuratively.
Power disruptions compromise public safety by affecting healthcare facilities, street lighting, and water supply systems. Residents feel abandoned as repeated outages fuel frustration and weaken community morale. At the same time, local businesses face mounting losses as interrupted operations threaten jobs and the local economy.
The DA further notes that poor housekeeping at substations and along power lines, including overgrown vegetation, obstructed views, and neglected infrastructure increases the risk of vandalism, equipment failure and even fires, worsening an already fragile system.
The Democratic Alliance calls for urgent collaboration between law enforcement and municipal authorities to implement robust preventative measures, including:
The deployment of specialised anti-cable-theft units;
Installation of tamper-proof infrastructure and surveillance systems at critical points;
Community awareness campaigns to mobilise residents against cable theft;
Improved housekeeping and maintenance of electrical infrastructure to reduce risk and improve visibility and safety.
Residents of Zeerust deserve reliable electricity and the dignity of living in a community free from criminal sabotage and municipal neglect.
The DA calls on the Mayor, DM Pitso, and all relevant stakeholders to act with urgency, strengthen preventative policing and prioritise infrastructure protection. Zeerust cannot remain captive to failures in maintenance and security. The time for decisive leadership is now.