MTHATHA, Eastern Cape — The King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Municipality is intensifying its crackdown on criminal syndicates responsible for severe electricity infrastructure damage, a crisis that has triggered continuous Mthatha power outages across several suburbs.
Municipal Manager Ngamela Phakade revealed that the local authority has spent more than R57 million solely on direct repairs for vandalized infrastructure in recent months. He noted that the total financial burden, which includes ongoing maintenance for cables failing as a secondary result of the sabotage, could ultimately reach hundreds of millions of rand.
Municipal spokesperson Mabovula confirmed that significant progress has been made in identifying and apprehending the culprits operating in areas such as Omatada. Authorities recently arrested 13 suspects, adding to the 19 individuals apprehended a few months prior, bringing the total to 32 arrests for suspected infrastructure vandalism.
Phakade clarified the current status of the arrests, noting that 10 suspects remain behind bars awaiting prosecution by the criminal justice cluster. Furthermore, 13 of the arrested individuals were identified as undocumented foreign nationals and have been handed over to the Department of Home Affairs for deportation.
To protect the grid from further economic sabotage, the municipality is implementing robust, multi-layered security measures. These include installing surveillance cameras, fencing critical infrastructure, hiring private security guards, and investing in drone technology by currently appointing a dedicated drone pilot.
Addressing the root cause of the vandalism, Phakade highlighted the supply-and-demand dynamics of the scrap metal trade. The municipality has identified four local scrap metal dealers purchasing the stolen copper. However, he emphasized that this is a national issue, with stolen materials often transported across provincial borders to buyers, including dealers operating in Durban. The municipality is trusting that national government interventions will help regulate the scrap metal industry to overcome this challenge.
The ongoing crisis has heavily impacted suburbs including Northwest, Southern Wood, and Southridge. To keep residents informed and manage service disruptions, the municipality is utilizing a functional customer care center, community WhatsApp groups, radio broadcasts, and active ward councilors and committees.
Additionally, the municipality is taking legislative action at the local level. Phakade announced the introduction of a new bylaw to regulate “amapara” (trolley pushers), who are frequently utilized by syndicates to transport stolen materials, in an effort to make communities safer and assist in identifying culprits.
Given the scale of the crisis and the relentless nature of the syndicates, the KSD Municipality has officially escalated the matter to the national government, seeking further intervention to dismantle the criminal networks and restore a reliable electricity supply to the region.
