SIXTEEN cases of vandalised street infrastructure costing over K130,000 have been recorded in the capital in the past one month, Lusaka City Council public relations manager George Sichimba has said. Mr Sichimba says vandalism of street lights and other fittings indicates a sharp increase in the vice from an average of four street lights a month.

He said this in a press statement on Monday. “Out of the 16 cases, 10 were recorded on Great North Road and six in Kanyama during the recent protests sparked by gassing incidents,” Mr Sichimba said. He said the increase in vandalism of street lights in the city is impacting negatively on the local authority’s resource envelope.

“One pole and accompanying components cost about K20,000 translating into about K132,000 to replace 16 vandalised poles, which is a huge cost,” he said. Mr Sichimba said street lights play a critical role in enhancing security for the residents, and it is regrettable that members of the public, who call for heightened security, are the ones vandalising the infrastructure. “The local authority is, therefore, calling on the general public to guard against destruction of public installations such as street lights,” Mr Sichimba said. He also called on motorists who hit into street light poles to own up and report such incidents to the police or the local authority so that a plan can be made to replace the damaged infrastructure.