Mozambique: Police commander calls for dialogue with protesters
Mozambique: Sabotage leads to power cuts in central Maputo
7:25 CAT | 20 Mar 2021
in file CoM
Recent power cuts in central Maputo were the result of the theft of components from transformer posts and other electrical installations, according to a report in Thursday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”.
There have been 11 recent incidents of such sabotage in KaMpfumo municipal district in the heart of Maputo.
Eduardo Magaia, delegate of the electricity company EDM, for client services, in KaMpfumo, said that the recent sabotage has cost EDM more than four million meticais (about 55,000 US dollars).
“We had cases like this in the neighbourhoods of Alto Mae, Coop, Central and Sommerschield”, said Magaia. “Indeed, we can say that over 90 per cent of the neighbourhoods in KaMpfumo have been victims of vandalism”.
Apart from the direct financial losses involved in replacing the stolen material, he added, EDM also loses money because of the periods in which its clients are not consuming power. In addition, the power cuts discredit the company in the eyes of its clients.
“When this happens, and the consumers don’t understand that there has been sabotage, they think that EDM is providing a bad service”, said Magaia. “This situation affects the company’s image.”
He said that EDM is now working with the police to arrest the vandals and hold them responsible for their crimes.
Similar problems have occurred in Beira, but here the police have arrested a 26 year old man identified as A. Sibinde who ordered others to steal metallic material from pylons and transformer posts, which he then purchased.
Sibinde said he used the stolen EDM material in his own workshop – where it was discovered by agents of the Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC).
Source: AIM
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