By Staff Reporter
WINDHOEK
Some eight solar panels stolen from the MTC’s Zebrapan site, some 90 km from Gamsberg area in Khomas, were recently recovered close to the Angolan border.
The panels form part of the 82 recently stolen from the Zebrapan and Trigbaken sites in Khomas and the Erongo regions respectively.
This is the second theft of solar panels during this financial year alone, said Mobile Telecommunications Communications (MTC)’s General Manager:
Corporate Services, Albertus Aochamub yesterday.
The first theft in a recent spate of this kind of crime took place in the Caprivi Region where 51 panels valued at N$600 000 were stolen in January.
The thefts at the two sites during the week of July 23 cost the company N$520 000.
At Trigbaken site, 59 solar panels were stolen and only 25 of the original 84 were left on site. The total cost of replacement of the panels is N$345 000, said Aochamub.
He said the panels are installed about 20 km outside Usakos, en route to Swakopmund, close to the gravel road turn-off to Uis.
The station provides road coverage between Usakos and Swakopmund and is also a backbone site to the coastal area of Namibia.
At Zebrapan, 23 panels were stolen from a total of 38, and they would cost N$180 000 to replace.
This site provides coverage mainly to tourists travelling the C14 route from Windhoek to Walvis Bay through the Namib Naukluft Park.
These thefts have resulted in service disruptions, loss of revenue to MTC and local businesses that rely on these critical telecommunication services, said Aochamub.
The company will replace the stolen equipment in about two weeks’ time, said Aochamub.