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The ANC-governed Dr Beyers Naude Municipality is sitting back and folding its arms while municipal assets and properties are systematically looted and destroyed by criminal elements.

Even though overwhelming evidence regarding these criminal activities has been presented to the municipality, no action has been taken. The municipality has, therefore, now become complicit in this criminality.

I have been made aware of four different municipal properties at which roofing materials – sheeting and trusses - have been stolen. Three of them allegedly had security guards on the premises at the time of the theft. (See pictures here and here)

A member of the community has laid charges in connection with two of the properties, but the municipality has not.

In the other two cases, the municipality has been provided with evidence pointing to a vehicle used to transport materials taken from municipal sites along with other salient details.  According to my information, the municipality has still not opened a case with the police.

Ongoing vandalism of electrical infrastructure is also bleeding the municipality's coffers dry, and impacts its ability to provide services to the community. For example, the theft of cables at the Santa substation cost over R150 000 to repair, and residents in the immediate area were without electricity for an extended period of time.

The Municipal Finance Management Act places a duty on the officials of a municipality to ensure that they maintain and safeguard the municipality's assets.  Part of this duty requires that there should be sufficient security at municipal properties to prevent vandalism, theft and destruction. Unfortunately, the municipality is failing in this duty.

I will write to the Mayor to request feedback on steps taken to safeguard municipal infrastructure and property and when criminal charges regarding theft and vandalism will be laid with the police.

The DA will continue to monitor the ongoing vandalism of municipal infrastructure and the response of the municipality. We will not stand by as criminals are given a free pass to destroy what is left of our assets.

It is time for change! The DA gets things done, and we are ready to bring real hope and real change to Dr Beyers Naude.

Issued by The DA