The Uthukela District Municipality has finally opened theft cases with the police after critical water pumps were allegedly stolen from water stations servicing several townships and villages.

The charges follow sustained pressure from the Democratic Alliance (DA) over the municipality’s continuous failure to find and arrest the thieves responsible for the disruptions and prolonged water shortages in uThukela.

DA Chairperson in Uthukela, Councillor Thys Janse van Rensburg, said in a statement: “These theft involved the removal of large industrial water pumps from three geographically separate installations, in what appears to be a highly sophisticated criminal operation”.

“This was not petty theft, it required advanced technical skills and heavy-duty equipment, clearly pointing to the involvement of organised crime”, Rensberg added.

A credible source submitted that the suspects named in the lodged charges are individuals known to both SAPS and the local community.

The DA is still calling for a state of emergency in dealing with the opened cases. “Any further delays may jeopardise evidence and diminish public trust in both law enforcement and local government, the people of Thukela deserve answers and action “ chairperson added.

The DA continues to fight the matter and requests that all remaining questions be answered by the police and local government.