Picture: Cable theft/Generic
By REGINALD KANYANE
15 July 2026 – The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it welcomes reports that an ANC councillor serving in Nama Khoi Municipality, together with two other individuals, was arrested by the police in Garies after they were allegedly found in possession of suspected stolen copper and aluminium cables yesterday. The DA said infrastructure theft, particularly cable and metal theft, continues to disrupt essential municipal services across Nama Khoi and places an unnecessary burden on already strained municipal resources.
DA Caucus leader of Nama Khoi, Rodney Kritzinger said just last night, copper water meters were stolen in Springbok and surrounding areas. Kritzinger said previous theft of Eskom electricity cables has also caused prolonged power outages in Steinkopf, Buffelsrivier and Komaggas, severely impacting residents and businesses.
“During the current term, Nama Khoi Municipality took important steps to protect critical infrastructure by installing surveillance cameras at key sites. However, recent service interruptions have also been linked to deliberate sabotage, including tampering with transformers and electrical infrastructure.
“Given the seriousness of these allegations and the significant cost of infrastructure crime to communities and taxpayers, the DA calls on the ANC to immediately suspend the councillor, who is expected to appear in court on Thursday,” he said.
Kritzinger further said councillors swear an oath to uphold the constitution and serve their communities with integrity. He added that allegations of this nature are deeply concerning and undermine the trust residents place in their elected representatives.
“The DA will continue working with all stakeholders to combat infrastructure theft, dismantle organised criminal syndicates, and root out corruption. We urge residents to report any suspicious activity or incidents of infrastructure theft to SAPS or the municipality so that those responsible can be caught and brought to justice,” said Kritzinger.
The Guardian 