CAPE TOWN - The City of Cape Town (CoCT) is offering a reward of R5 000 for anyone who provides information on theft or vandalism of infrastructure.
This after the City revealed on Wednesday that between July and November this year more than 2 293 sewer manhole covers were replaced at a cost of R1.9 million.
Coupled with this, 33 sewage pump stations had been vandalised or impacted by theft since July 2020, preventing sewage from being pumped to wastewater treatment works.
“In April 2021, it was estimated that these operating costs, including repairs and hiring of mobile equipment to minimise sewer overflows, cost residents approximately R30 million,” CoCT said.
The reward of R5 000 has been offered to any resident who assists in reporting or providing information on theft or vandalism of water and sanitation infrastructure if it leads to a successful arrest or the recovery of stolen infrastructure.
Cape Town’s mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, believes the reward illustrates how the City is trying to combat malicious destruction of infrastructure.
“At the end of the day, it is the public’s rates and tariffs that pay for the repair and replacement of infrastructure that is vandalised,” Badroodien said.
Not only is water and sanitation infrastructure being vandalised or stolen, but attacks and threats to water and sanitation staff have also increased.
“There has been an increase in hijackings, armed robberies and stoning of water and sanitation vehicles. Many of these incidents happen when staff are transported during the night shift,” Badroodien said.
“Even worse, staff are robbed when attending to pipe bursts and operational tasks such as meter replacement and meter readings,” he said.
The City urges residents to report the following:
- Manhole covers being stolen/removed
- Dumping in underground infrastructure
- Water meters being stolen
- Any threat or attack on its staff
- Illegal building connections to sewage or stormwater systems
- Illegal bypassing of meters and illegal water connections.
Local weekly community newspaper The Southern Mail reported in August that 15 water meters were stolen in the areas of Grassy Park and Parkwood within one week.
Any witnessed or potential incidents need to be reported to CoCT’s emergency call centre 107 from a landline or 021 480 7700 from a cellphone.
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