Senior Chief Kapeni and Traditional Authority Machinjiri have pledged their support towards combating theft and vandalism of ESCOM property by mobilising their subjects to report vandalism and theft of ESCOM equipment.

The chiefs made the pledge during an anti-vandalism awareness campaign the Corporation conducted in Blantyre in September 2009.

They observed that if everyone were to play their rightful role of safeguarding ESCOM property, the Corporation would have connected electricity to many customers and power interruptions would have minimised.

Due to frequent vandalisms acts, ESCOM is losing a lot of money. It is also failing to connect electricity to new customers because materials to serve them are used to replace vandalised ones.

Escom Director of Administration and Company Secretary, Mr. Everson Sitolo, told the media during the launch of the campaign at Nyambadwe school ground in the township of Ndirande in Blantyre that between June 2008 and July 2009 the Corporation has lost 66 transformers to vandalism, leading to loss of K52.8 million.

“This has led to some of our customers experiencing loss of power supply in some areas,” he said.
The launch at Nyambadwe school ground was also attended by Mr. Kenneth Kantwela from Blantyre City Assembly who represented the Chief Executive Officer of the Assembly and Senior Superintendent K. Semani who is Officer-in-Charge for Ndirande Police station.

During the campaign, ESCOM disseminated messages on safety, way leaves, reporting of faults, reporting of vandalism, rewarding of vandalism informants, and effects of vandalism to the Corporation, society and national development.
The campaign, whose package comprised community awareness meetings, local leaders meetings and drama performances, was also conducted at Bangwe, Nkolokoti, Ndirande, Mbwelera and Lunzu.