* ESCOM security department. in collaboration with Chileka Police, uncovers an illegal aluminum pot manufacturing factory in Lunzu, Blantyre
* The operation recovered several aluminum conductors at the site, which are believed to have been stolen from ESCOM’s distribution network
By Duncan Mlanjira
The locally made aluminium pots, which are being sold by market and street vendors across the country, have been discovered to be manufactured using vandalised Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) equipment.
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This has been reported by ESCOM’s social media platform following the discovery of an illegal pot factory in Lunzu, Blantyre along the M1 road following the company intensified crackdown against vandalism of its infrastructure.
On its official Facebook page, ESCOM reports that on Thursday, June 11, its security department, in collaboration with Chileka Police, the raid at the illegal aluminum-pot manufacturing resulted in multiple arrests and the seizure of approximately 129 aluminum pots and 119 lids.
“Crucially, the operation recovered several aluminum conductors at the site, which are believed to have been stolen from ESCOM’s distribution network,” says the report.
ESCOM is tremendously affected by the continuing rampant theft of its infrastructure and last wk, chief public relations & communications officer, Pilirani Phiri told Zodiak Online today that the company losing MK3 billion every year due to replacement of vandalised infrastructure.
In order to deter the vice, Pilirani Phiri said ESCOM is currently conducting community engagements through chiefs across the country and is appealing for community ownership and mindset change towards national infrastructure that support them.
Also last week, ESCOM applauded Zomba-communities-for-standing-guard-against-vandalism-of-its-infrastructure-describing-it-as-ownership-at-its-best.
ESCOM reported that a volunteer community-led night security patrol at Nazinomwe Village in Zomba, supported by the Police, intercepted a group of vandals in mid-operation of vandalising a transformer.
They stumbled upon them after they had already disconnected the transformer’s high-voltage fuses and cut 1.5 metres of earth mat, which were recovered and later replaced.
The transformer that was targeted and vandalised
Thus ESCOM needing to applaud the volunteer security patrols, saying: “These are not isolated acts of bravado, they are the result of organised, deliberate, and heroic community night patrols, mounted as a direct response to a rising wave of syndicated vandalism across the country.
“ESCOM salutes every individual who gave up their night’s rest to protect infrastructure that powers homes, hospitals, schools, and businesses. You are not just guarding transformers and cables, you are guarding your communities.”
ESCOM thus advises members of the public that if they experience a sudden, unexplained power outage at night, they should treat it as a potential vandalism incident immediately and alert their nearest Police Unit or ESCOM office.
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