Community headman in copper theft saga

MEducation comes at the highest risk for pupils attending Phemba Primary School situated at Croydon, Dvokolwako.

Pupils endure daily risk of crossing the Mbuluzi River on an old, dilapidated and unstable footbridge with loose old timber.

The pupils are faced with the daily risk in order to attain education at the only available school closer to their places of abode.

The Eswatini News was informed of the predicament of the pupils by concerned residents who said the footbridge continue to pause danger to the pupils. The residents said they didn’t even know who to approach on the challenge they face in sending their children to school daily.

Thembela Dlamini one of the residents concurred with other residents that the school was the only hope for them, for their children to attain an education but they have to pray daily for the safety of the pupils.

He said they had given up hope on the project especially when they realised it was started and later abandoned without any reason.

Dlamini said they had different versions pertaining to why the company that was awarded the tender to construct the footbridge, decided to abandon the project.

“We don’t want to get into the politics of the project but the completion of the footbridge is all we want and if we had a way we would have long finished it because it is one of the major

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M- While community headmen in other areas advocate for electricity schemes, a colleague in Maphungwane is allegedly involved in copper theft, a direct opposite to community development.

Maphungwane is situated in the Lubombo Region. The community headman (name deliberately withheld until formal charges are laid against him) is alleged to be the ring leader of a copper wire theft gang.

The startling allegations were made by residents of the area in an interview with the Eswatini News team. The residents said they started noticing in the past month that some families woke up to discover that their cables were stolen in the night.

They said, as days progressed, they were shocked to discover that more families were faced with the same predicament. They

The dilapidated footbridge that is crossed by pupils attending Phemba Primary School around Croydon, Dvokolwako. Pupils risks their lives daily crossing here. (R pic) Eswatini News Senior Investigative Journalist Timoty Simelane struggling as he attempts to safely cross the unstable footbridge.

concerns for us” said Dlamini. He further claimed that the construction of the footbridge raised their hopes as a community and later disappointed residents because it was abandoned without any explanation. Meanwhile, Phemba Primary School Committee Chairperson Sanele Magagula, disclosed to the Eswatini News that all the parents were always worried about the safety of their children when they embarked on their daily journey to school. Magagula said what was unfortunate was that they did not have any other alternative but to let their children take the risk as Phemba primary was the only school closer to them.

Farm

Magagula further disclosed that the school was established by the farm owners but later allowed it to be run as a community school on their private farm.

Magagula said they were grateful of the offer that still exists between the mission and community.

He said the farm continues to do their private operations yet decided to report the matter to the community police in the area who then opened investigations which resulted in the headman being brought before the umphakatsi.

The residents alleged that it was after a thorough interrogation by the community police that the headman confessed and took them to the place where they clean the stolen cooper wire before taking it to prospective buyers in the black market. “I have been a victim of cooper wire theft in this area as my community office and my home has been invaded by these hooligans who stole it and I was forced to operate my office without electricity.

“At my home I have been forced to use a candle which is dangerous to my children. I reported the matter to the community police and also the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) at Tikhuba and I was shocked to learn that I have to fork out money for my house to be rewired after this incident, when I reported to the Eswatini Electricity

The temporal footbridge that was constructed with the hope to rehabilitate the collapsing old footbridge.

allowing the school services to operate at the mission.

Magagula when questioned on the dangers posed by the footbridge, he was quick to respond stating that it is a dangerous journey for children inviting the journalist

The location of Maphungwane.

Company (EEC),” lamented Bhekithemba Matsenjwa, a resident.

After the headman was fetched by the community police, he confessed of his involvement in the said criminal activity and further took the community to a place where they package the cooper wire before taking it to to experience it firsthand. “We almost lost two pupils who were victims of the dilapidated footbridge,” said Magagula.

He also pleaded for any assistance to ensure they made life easier for the children who cross

the prospective buyers.

“We interrogated him until he confessed that he was indeed the ring leader of the gang and he further took us to the place where they burn the cooper wire to prepare it for the black market. We were shocked to learn that a reputable person of his calibre who is supposed to be exemplary and instrumental in the progress of development in the area was the very same person doing the opposite,” said one of the residents.

Eswatini has experienced a rapid rise in the theft of copper wire. This is a crime that affects everyone and has an impact on the delivery of crucial services, primarily the provision of electricity, telephone and internet services. Even if the copper cable is replaced, it is stolen days and even hours after being replaced posing an endless drain to the country of Eswatini amid these tough economic times.

Copper wire cable theft and vandalism does not only cost EEC its revenue, but also inconveniences customers, businesses during a time when the country the footbridge daily.

“This are primary school pupils the timber is now dilapidated, the hanging cables are still strong but loose fittings makes it shaky and remain dangerous for primary school going chil

MP says construction stopped after there was need to go back to the drawing board to ensure safe and durable footbridge”

is already struggling in its economy. The tax payer ends up paying the full price of copper theft and vandalism while it benefits the criminals only.

Criminals steal infrastructure such as copper cables to make easy money and with each incident, thousands of homes are left without electricity, communications services for many hours or days even months. Businesses that have no access to generators have to close and unfortunately lose money as they cannot operate during the period of copper theft and vandalism.

Chief Police Information and Communication Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati has confirmed that there were cases reported where unknown people are said to have stolen electricity copper cables at Maphungwane but said no one has been arrested yet as investigations were still being conducted.

Communication Officer at EEC Khaya Mavuso, has said they were still going to report their findings at the nearby depot in Siteki.