By: Anele Nduzulwana

Residents at Mount Moriah Township in Durban North are Concerned about the ongoing electricity theft in the area.

KwaMashu South African Police Service communication officer lieutenant, Lindani Mdletshe, said that Cable theft incidents are reported and arrests are made almost every day.

He said “Cable theft is a national issue as it affects the whole country and Durban North is no exception”

Mthabiseng Makoena, resident at Simunye Road in Moriah, had to use paraffin stove and light with a candle for five days.

She said that the cable was stolen at night on Friday because no one saw the thieves and the neighbors were surprised in the morning and suspected the woonga addicts.

“I had to bath with cold water and could not warm the breakfast in the morning.

My kids went to school without breakfast because there was no electricity” she said.

Makoena’s neighbor Zama Mpungose said cable theft make her life miserable because she depends on electricity to keep her home organized.

She said “I had to use cold water to go to work on Friday and the kids had to eat bread for the whole day because I could not cook”

Thabisile Mdladla, resident Said she struggles to live without electricity because everything she does depend on it.

She does not cook and sometimes does not go to work because she has to go to Municipal offices to report the incident.

She said that they were ensured through a phone call that the cables will be re-instilled but

the date was not specified.

“A case has been opened in Kwa Mashu Police Station,” Mdladla said

Mdletshe added that cable thieves are not only the woonga addicts, as the people perceive, but there are other syndicate that makes money out of stealing electricity cables.

“We investigate all the cases and ensure that we put patrol officers where there is a high rate of cable theft” Mdlentshe said.