What on earth will they steal next? Watermeters disappear overnight, the brass evidently the attracting factor. Residents may well find themselves without water in the morning … and no watermeter.

Four watermeters were stolen last week in Makhado (Louis Trichardt) in Wolmarans and Celliers Streets. As quickly as watermeters are stolen, the municipality replaces them. It may cost about R750 to replace a watermeter.

The Makhado Municipality’s Director Technical Services, Mr Masindi Mapholi, visited the site where a watermeter had been stolen.

“The thieves chop the whole structure off, because they need the brass. Their objective is to make gold look-alike rings, necklaces and gold teeth. If I may be frank, we don’t have that talent locally and I believe these are people from outside, like Zimbabwe or Maputo. You cannot locate them. I believe they are not local people. This is a well-planned exercise of people with experience and they have the equipment to make the look-alike gold articles,” Mr Mapholi said.

Although four watermeters were stolen in town last week, Mr Mapholi said that the problem in town is on the decrease but increasing in the surrounding areas.

“We have had a tremendous reduction in problems relating to theft of infrastructure in town the last two months,” Mr Mapholi said. He ascribed the decrease in thefts to constant patrols of the recently established town watch.

Brass and copper theft, however, continue in Sinthumule/Kutama, wasting the municipality’s time and resources that could otherwise have been utilized to render services.

“In Mashau, copper theft has reached such proportions that we even have the police requesting us to put up a high mast. At Thothololo, in the Waterval region, the municipal borehole’s pump has been stolen three times. They steal pumps like hot cakes. These are but some examples. The challenge is serious,” Mapholi said.

Should brass and copper still be used, many may ask.

Mr Mapholi said that, as a council, they have resolved to move from brass to a kind of plasticene. The problem is one of durability and the fact that the plastic type of material can burn easily. In the sewer system, they are also moving away from steel pipes to plastic pipes. He did express hope for the future.

“We believe we will come to a stage when all these irregularities will be dealt with and the Makhado Municipality will be a healthy environment to reside in,” Mapholi said.

An appeal is also made to the community to stand up and try and curb theft.

“The mayor is moving from area to area to visit chiefs on the matter of theft. There is a programme in place to visit the chiefs, ward councillors and the community,” Mapholi said.