DA Highlights South Africa’s Electricity Infrastructure Theft Crisis, Urges Government Action

The Democratic Alliance states that South Africa is grappling with a crisis of electricity infrastructure theft, contributing to intensified load-shedding. The Department of Public Enterprises revealed that between 2018 and last year, there were over 44,000 reported cases of theft and vandalism, averaging 24 incidents daily. Transformers alone suffered 232 thefts, resulting in an 18-million-rand loss. Despite efforts, including Police Minister Bheki Cele’s task teams, the DA’s Mimmy Gondwe asserts that the government appears to be losing the battle against electricity infrastructure criminals, fueling a lucrative black market.