That was a significant challenge for the municipality. It ended up forcing the executive mayor, Gilbert Mokotso, to break his silence. He says this is a result of sabotaging his leadership with his community organisation, Maluti-a-Phofung 16 (MAP 16), and the other parties that form the coalition government.

This is because the bad behaviour of vandalising started immediately after getting into the office as an executive mayor. He said this behaviour was intended to sabotage his leadership and named it a “failure”.

Phuthaditjhaba and the other areas were forced to stay without a supply of electricity for a long time in December. The following year, the same situation occurred in December when the electric cable was stolen, leaving residents in the dark.

Most of the substations became the victims of the thieves who kept vandalising.

Again, water infrastructure was also targeted by the thieves who damaged the pipes which led to water loss all over the different wards that form the municipality.

At the moment, Mokgotso says no high rate of infrastructure vandalism is taking place, and this is good news since such behaviour affects service delivery and costs the municipality millions of rands.

OFM News/Tumelo Khotha