WHILE the Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC), a 100 percent government-owned entity established to supply environmentally friendly electricity to the people of Lesotho is struggling to deal with theft and vandalism of electrical cables across the country, government does not seem to address this matter - instead new electrification projects are being launched.

This is despite the LEC declaring in June the loss of millions of maloti through vandalism of electrical cables among other things.

The utility company has sought assistance from other government agencies in an effort to put the matter to bed.  

Among other things, distribution transformers are being vandalized for their copper windings while cables are stolen and eventually find their way into the market.

“We are working tirelessly to try and deal with these issues. But at the same time we are expecting law enforcement agencies such as police and courts to also come to the party and help us put on hold this form of crime,” LEC Public Relations Manager, Makhetha Motšoari told Metro in an interview on Tuesday.

The Government, though its relevant agencies, seems reluctant to deal with the matter as an emergency but at the same time continues to launch more electricity projects that may subsequently be impacted by the same challenges that have seen the utility company losing an estimated M21 million annually.

In June, LEC declared, and not for the first time, that it is plunged in financial disarray as a result of property and copper theft that keeps on spiking each year.

The impact of vandalism is then easily passed on to the consumers and negatively impact to economy.

Mr Motšoari said among other measures, LEC is holding public gatherings in different villages to create awareness on the matter. He made an example of a person who was killed by members of the community in Mazenod recently, who accused him of stealing electrical cables.