George Municipality has suffered losses exceeding R3.5 million due to vandalism over the past six to eight months, severely impacting operations and causing prolonged electricity outages.
In a statement on Monday, the municipality said it faces a significant challenge with ongoing vandalism, particularly cable theft, resulting in substantial financial losses and service delivery disruptions.
The Electro-Technical Services Department has been the hardest hit, with 811 cable theft incidents from July to December 2023, amounting to over R3.5m in losses.
“This vandalism extends beyond cable theft, affecting infrastructure such as streetlight poles, kiosks and low-voltage lines,” the municipality said.
Various other incidents of vandalism have been reported across different departments, including Corporate Services which reported damage to Lawaaikamp Hall’s fence, costing approximately R80 000 and Parks and Recreation at Gwaing beach, with an estimated cost of about R5 000. Sports facilities, including stadiums in Thembalethu, Blanco, Rosemore, Pacaltsdorp and Maraiskamp, have also been targeted, resulting in damages and theft amounting to approximately R37 000.
The municipality said law enforcement efforts have led to arrests in connection with cable theft and vandalism.
“We implore the citizens of George to assist in combating vandalism by promptly reporting incidents to the official channels of the George Municipality and the police. Vandalism is a criminal act that ultimately burdens ratepayers and deprives communities of essential services.”
The public is requested to report people tampering, painting, breaking or stealing municipal property with the SAPS and George Municipality Law Enforcement on 044 801 6350 or 044 801 6300 after hours.
The municipality offers a reward of R2 500 for information leading to the successful conviction of vandals in a court of law, and can be contacted on 0860 044 044.
