NORED warns copper bandits

ONGWEDIVA, Sept. 8 – Northern Reginal Electricity Distributor (NORED) Chief Executive Officer, Fillemon Nakashole, warned people to refrain from vandalizing and stealing copper cables or risk facing serious consequences.
A recent spate of copper cable thefts have posed serious danger to people, Nakashole said, adding that re-installing the cables is very expensive.

“Vandalism of essential electricity infrastructure is a serious offence,’ said Nakashole.
Theft and vandalism of NORED’s property robs communities and businesses of essential services, as infrastructure is put in place to provide reliable and quality electricity to commercial and domestic users.

Vandalism on NORED infrastructure is not limited to the cables, but extends to streetlights and electricity poles, while electricity metres are also tampered with.

Meanwhile, further vandalism occurs at the hands of people who carry out illegal electricity connections.

He singled out two incidents which occurred last week leaving customers without electricity at Okamanya village in the Oshikoto Region’s Oniipa Constituency and at Onkuni, which is situated in the Ondangwa Constituency in the Oshana Region.

Vandalism and theft were reported at Okamanya after suspects cut an electricity pole and cable in search of copper.

At Onkuni village, thieves cut electricity cables and stole copper cables, leaving half of the village without electricity.

“The effect of vandalism is tremendous. Instead of NORED starting to distribute electricity to new customers, the company has to go back to repair vandalized infrastructure,” noted Nakashole. – Maria Abraham