By Khanyisa Khenese
Following a Grocott’s Mail report on two Makhanda schools hit hard by cable theft, electricity has since been restored at the schools and stolen cables have been replaced.
The schools have confirmed that Eskom has finally attended to their power problems.
Grocott’s Mail reported recently that after criminals stole cables, TEM Mrwetyana Senior Secondary School in Joza was forced to utilise a neighbour’s home for printing while children at Boyboy Mginywa Preschool in Xolani were learning in the dark for nearly three months due to a power outage as a result of cable theft.
A few weeks ago, Eskom restored cables at TEM Mrwetyana Senior Secondary School while at Boyboy Preschool, the cable wires were replaced last Friday, 22 March.
Boyboy Mginywa’s supervisor, Emihle Ngqina, told Grocott’s Mail that she did not have hope that Eskom would replace the cables sooner. However, after she heard they fixed power at TEM Mrwetyana, that revived a feeling of hope in her.
“I went back to Eskom, and the lady that was helping me said I shouldn’t worry. Eskom people will come soon as she will explain to them that we are also a school,” she said.
Ngqina said that to prevent cable thieves from stealing the school cables again, they plan to fix the fence and have solid fencing around the school premises so that the thieves won’t be able to get inside and have access to cables.
“I think we need a much harder and higher fencing that could secure the safety of the school, but that calls for sponsors because the school needs sponsors.”
Tambo said there are no measures yet to deter cable theft in the school, but they plan to try to find a breakthrough to install security cameras.
Both Ngqina and Tambo said they were happy that Eskom restored the electricity cables at the schools.
They thanked Grocott’s Mail for publishing their story.
