ONGWEDIVA: Northern Regional Electricity Distributor (Nored) spokesperson Herman Ngasia on Tuesday issued a stern warning to scrapyard owners to refrain from buying copper cables from customers or face the consequences of their actions.

Speaking in an interview with Nampa at the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF) on Tuesday, Ngasia said the practice should stop as the cables are stolen from Nored infrastructure.

Nored is participating in the OATF, which started on Friday and ends this Saturday at Ongwediva in the Oshana Region.

The electricity distributor hopes to enhance customer education on energy saving, safety and service through its participation in the trade fair.

Ngasia also said the “thugs”, especially those looking for copper, to refrain from vandalising Nored infrastructure.

He singled out two incidents which occurred last week and left customers without electricity at Okamanya village in the Oshikoto Region’s Oniipa Constituency and at Onkuni, which is situated in the Ondangwa Constituency in the Oshana Region.

He said vandalism and theft was reported at Okamanya whereby suspects cut an electricity pole and cable in search of copper.

At Onkuni village, thieves cut electricity cables and stole copper cables, leaving half of the village without electricity.

“The effect of vandalism is tremendous. Instead of Nored starting to distribute electricity to new customers, the company has to go back to repair vandalised infrastructure,” Ngasia explained, before appealing to traditional leaders and councillors to inform their communities to refrain from vandalising.

He also advised the electricity consumers within the Nored’s area of operation to use electricity wisely in order to avoid load shedding.