Cape Town hasn’t kept quiet about the crime statistics for South Africa in 2022 so far. Stemming from influential voices like Premier Alan Winde and Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis something of a challenge has arisen, one of concern and discontent toward the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele’s capabilities.
In a stride toward taking matters of protection into its own hands, the City of Cape Town has announced its decision to earmark roughly R40 million to help curb and prevent vandalism of critical energy infrastructure, something it calls “the scourge of vandalism.”
This comes as part of the approved 2022/23 Budget, and is set to come into effect from July.
Although vandalism in Cape Town is reported to be part of a downward trend, the City says that “the overall numbers as well as reoccurring incidents in the city remain high.”
In February already, R1 million in damages for vandalism and illegal connections were recorded, as Daily Maverick reports.
The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Councillor Beverley van Reenen expressed that:
“Incidents of electricity infrastructure vandalism continue to be recorded in all areas in the metro, including damage to streetlights. Damage to streetlights and to kiosks is among the most affected. These continuous illegal acts are plaguing our communities and together with residents, we are determined to bring an end to infrastructure vandalism.
“The R40 million injection will focus on securing critical infrastructure in all communities, boosting security patrols in hotspot areas and permanent security deployments to strategic energy infrastructure.”
She added that awareness and educational focuses will be placed on understanding the impact of vandalism for Cape Town communities.
Roughly a month ago, Bheki Cele noted that task teams would be created to “fight essential-infrastructure crimes,” as TimesLive reported, adding that these crimes “will not go unabated.”
As cities like Cape Town continue to question Cele’s deliverance, the R40 million plan is another effort toward a city-driven initiative, but a potential thorn in the side of Cele’s central policing navigations.
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