More than 10 000 items of water and sanitation infrastructure have been vandalised or stolen which poses a significant challenge to the City of Cape Town’s operation of providing water and sanitation services.
The damages that the infrastructure faced this financial year have been recorded as costing the City R12 million, according to a media statement issued by the City.
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In informal areas, R1.18 million was spent to replace 89 manhole covers, 80 rodding eyes, 1 034 stolen taps and 257 toilet parts that were either vandalised or missing.
In formal areas, R10.8 million was directed towards replacing 3 666 missing manhole covers, 2 809 stolen water meters, 649 meter covers, 1 204 hydrant covers and 275 missing valve covers.
‘These replacements strain the financial resources and cause delays in addressing service issues. Each act of vandalism diverts precious time and resources away from maintaining and enhancing the quality of services,’ the City stated.
‘Beyond the financial burden, vandalism puts the public’s health and safety at risk as well as the inconvenience they have to endure. Damage to the water network or pipelines can compromise water quality, and disruptions in sanitation services can contribute to sewer overflows, posing risks to public health,’ they added.
From July 2023 to March 2024, the Directorate attended to 64 149 sewer blockages, of which 52 665 were due to misuse.
It was estimated that 82% of these blockages were the result of system misuse, which cost approximately R371.7 million to resolve.
‘The City is committed to providing reliable and efficient services to communities. However, the ongoing threat of vandalism and theft undermines these efforts and needs collaborative action from communities, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders,’ said Councillor Zahid Badroodien, the City’s Mayco Member for Water and Sanitation.
‘By protecting our network of pipes and equipment, we not only preserve essential services but also contribute to the overall well-being and development of communities,’ he added.
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Picture: Skitterphoto / Pexels
