By Sonica Naudé-Steyn

The Greater Kokstad Municipality has urged cooperation from the local community as the electrical department continue to battle with streetlight vandalism, especially in the CBD.
According to the GKM, several streetlight in the CBD are currently not working due to cable theft and vandalism of the infrastructure. The electrical team prioritise repairs however are unable to keep up with the continued theft and vandalism.
“Our technical teams respond, but repairs are delayed due to a shortage of cables and control gear. SAPS cases have been opened for the cable theft incidents. We are working with SAPS and the CPF to increase patrols in hotspot areas. Materials have been ordered. Expected delivery is end April to beginning May 2026. Once received, high-crime areas and main routes will be prioritised,” said the municipality in a statement.
The GKM have urged community members to continue to report outages and or suspicious activity.
“Cable theft puts everyone’s safety at risk and takes money away from service delivery. If you see people tampering with streetlights, please report it immediately. We apologise for the impact on your safety and will share an update as soon as materials arrive or work starts.”