City of Cape Town to work with locals in bid to curb vandalism

Mayco Member for Community Services and Health, Zahid Badroodien, said that community involvement has proven to be one of the best ways to safeguard and protect community recreational facilities. Picture: Supplied.

Mayco Member for Community Services and Health, Zahid Badroodien, said that community involvement has proven to be one of the best ways to safeguard and protect community recreational facilities. Picture: Supplied.

Published Aug 6, 2021

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Cape Town - In an effort to curb incidents of vandalism to the city’s parks and recreational infrastructure, the City’s Community Services and Health Directorate has asked residents in local communities to come forward with ideas on how best to protect the facilities.

After recording yet another long list of extensive damages to community parks and recreational facilities, the City is on a mission to actively bring the issue of vandalism to an end, this time working with locals with possible bright ideas on how to solve the problem.

Mayco Member for Community Services and Health, Zahid Badroodien, said: “Community involvement has proven to be one of the best ways we can safeguard and protect community recreational facilities, which are valuable community assets.

“Which is why we are calling on our local community residents to come forward and pitch possible ideas on how we can effect change in behaviour from within the affected community. We are also encouraging volunteers to get involved in expanding the reach of City and SAPS resources at recreation centres and sports fields by forming groups such as Neighbourhood Watches.”

Currently, the City says it cannot be wholly held accountable for the damage done to local parks and centres, and neither can it bear the cost of repairs or maintenance to improve facilities that are being stripped, stolen to be sold or for personal use.

“We are sitting with a hefty bill as a consequence of the actions of a few individuals. In Elsies River in just six months, the cost of repairing damaged or stolen assets at three facilities is approximately R1 005 400. In Uitsig the sports ground has been vandalised five times since the beginning of the year.

“In Valhalla Park, the local park and family recreation centre has been damaged so terribly that repair costs are close to R450 000, and this is since January this year. At Avonwood sports field, a few weekends past copper cables from the floodlights were stolen. While technical assessment still needs to be done, the infrastructural damage is estimated at R250 000.”

“We cannot allow vandalism and crime to become the norm in our society, and set a poor example for the next generation. It is the communities we serve who bear the brunt of these wanton acts as facilities are unusable or become spaces where sport and recreation is no longer an option,” said Badroodien.