Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport this week condemned the willful damage to and theft of cables at both sets of robots along the Dr Abu Baker Asvat Drive linking Soweto and Lenasia.
Vadi was responding to a query from The Rising Sun as to why the robots at the Avalon Cemetery and N12 intersections were not working for several weeks. He said he had personally conducted a site investigation and was shocked to find that the cables had been cut and all the robots were either stolen or completely vandalised.
“This theft of and damage to our roads infrastructure must be condemned in the strongest terms,” said an angry Vadi.
“This is the work of a criminal syndicate and we call on the community and the police to help our Department to arrest these criminals,” he said.
Vadi was also unapologetic in his condemnation of scrap metal dealers who buy stolen copper cables and metal.
“These businesses live off the sweat and blood of our people. It’s disgraceful!” he said.
Meanwhile, Vadi reported that the earlier case against four suspects who allegedly stole paving bricks along the Abu Baker Asvat Drive last year had been postponed in the Lenasia Magistrate’s Court for further investigation.
He urged the Lenasia SAPS to complete the investigation as soon as possible so that the perpetrators could be convicted, if found guilty.
“We must send a clear signal to criminals that this community will not tolerate the destruction of public assets and facilities,” he said.
The Roads and Transport Department also confirmed that the N12 freeway from the notorious “death bend” near Eldorado Park up to the North West boundary will be upgraded over the next 36 months.
For more information:
Octavia Mamabolo
Cell: 082 316 8666
Tel: 011 355 7300
Email: Octavia.Mamabolo@gauteng.gov.za
