One person was killed and another seriously injured while City of Cape Town water and sanitation inspectors were conducting repairs and maintenance oversight in Khayelitsha on Wednesday.
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Security guards escorting City personnel came under fire when inspectors were assigned to evaluate janitorial services for taps and toilets in informal settlements. One person was killed. Another remains in critical condition in hospital.
The City released a statement on the incident. ‘The City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate is deeply saddened by the senseless, violent attack on teams assigned to work in informal settlements, while they were at work performing their duties in Site B, Khayelitsha on Wednesday, 26 July. Following a site inspection, bystanders shot at the private security personnel who accompanied the City inspectors.’
According to the City, measures have been put in place to assign security escorts for teams conducting inspections, attending to burst pipes, clearing sewer overflows, providing oversight of toilet cleaning, and repairing taps for clean access to water in all hotspot areas due to an increase in staff being targeted while on duty.
‘I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to the family, loved ones and staff affected by the death of the security official, who lost his life in this horrific manner,’ says Dr Zahid Badroodien. Mayoral committee member for Water and Sanitation.
The City set aside R1.9 million in the previous financial year for security escorts due to the frequency of incidents involving water and sanitation staff in informal settlements. This budget has, however, increased to R8.5 million in the current financial year.
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