Western Cape Town 'held To Ransom' By Cable Theft Syndicate

Picture and Words: Steve Kretzmann / GroundUp

Repeated cable theft, involving poles being cut down, has plagued the Western Cape town of Villiersdorp since August, with residents this week petitioning the mayor to get help from provincial or even national authorities.

After numerous power cuts caused by storms in July, the town was again left in the dark when electricity poles were cut down and cables stolen on 3 August.

There have been at least nine other incidents of cable theft since then, leaving the entire town and surrounding farms without power for extended periods. The longest blackout was for about 48 hours in mid-September, according to a record kept by resident Sacha Wilson. The most recent incident was on 2 October.

The repeated blackouts have caused losses for residents, businesses and farmers, and disrupted health and social services.