By Maureen Scheepers: DA Councillor in eMalahleni Local Municipality
The DA in eMalahleni calls on the municipality’s Technical Service Department to devise a plan aimed at guarding and rehabilitating the vandalised electrical kiosk and substation infrastructure in Extension 10.
Since the beginning of March 2026, criminals have systematically targeted electrical kiosks and substations by stealing doors, back panels, and in some instances entire steel structures.
This has left electrical meters, wiring, and live electrical components exposed to weather conditions, further vandalism, and most importantly serious public safety risks.
In our letter, we urge the municipality to take the following steps:
The Technical Service Department to urgently investigate and implement alternative protective materials and infrastructure solutions that are not easily stolen and sold as scrap metal, including but not limited to reinforced plastic, composite materials, or other suitable alternatives.
The Community Safety Directorate establishes a dedicated task team, together with law enforcement agencies, to actively patrol affected areas during nighttime hours and investigate those responsible for the theft and vandalism of municipal electrical infrastructure.
The immediate inspections and compliance operations are conducted at scrap metal dealers within and around Emalahleni to identify and confiscate stolen municipal property and to ensure that illegal trade in stolen infrastructure is addressed decisively.
The situation poses a direct danger to residents, especially children, who may unknowingly come into contact with exposed electrical infrastructure. Residents are currently resorting to covering exposed electrical components with black refuse bags in an attempt to protect the infrastructure from rain and environmental damage is a completely unacceptable situation.
Despite numerous reports submitted to the municipality since early March 2026, no visible progress has been made to replace or secure the stolen infrastructure. The continued lack of intervention places residents at risk, contributes to the deterioration of municipal infrastructure, and creates conditions that encourage further criminal activity.
Failure to urgently address this matter may leave the municipality exposed to liability should injury, electrocution, or damage occur as a result of exposed and unsecured electrical Infrastructure.