Cape Town - Several incidents of vandalism and arson at the Wallacedene sewage pump station in Kraaifontein over the past year, allegedly by nearby informal settlement dwellers, prompted a visit from Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Dikeledi Magadzi and representatives from the City of Cape Town.
The delegation inspected the state of the facility and engaged with residents in the hope of raising public awareness of the impact that theft and vandalism of water and sanitation infrastructure have on essential services to communities.
Wallacedene pump station manager Ntsikelelo Luthuli said: “Vandalism at this pump station started last year in March when the community which invaded open land near the pump station connected themselves to Eskom supply through the pump station.
“The transformer then burnt off, resulting in the station becoming dysfunctional. Eskom replaced the transformer but within one week, it was reconnected and vandalised.
“From June last year, we are still using this temporary set-up to ensure there is no pollution into the environment and human health impacts.
Around June this year, the community forced themselves into the pump station and burnt the motor control centre which was needed to drive the pumps.
“The City then undertook to have the pump station connected on the temporal drive, and this is how we are operating currently.”
Luthuli said that since the vandalism at the station last year and recurring electric cable theft, the temporary operation costs using generators amounted to R1 million a month.
City reticulation wastewater conveyance head Sigqibo Nogaya said when people in the informal settlement felt aggrieved, in protest, they vandalised the pump station which affected about 21 000 households in the area and resulted in overflows in multiple places within the sewer, but the most severe was the area just behind the pump station where a park was located.
When the delegation finished the inspection, they met a crowd of frustrated residents from the informal settlement who shared their concerns about lack of service delivery, from the need for clean water supply and electricity to the fact that their mobile toilets were not being cleaned.
A resident said they often ended up protesting because of these issues.
Resident Asanga Gobe said: “We have been struggling for electricity, water supply and toilets, which is not acceptable. We are happy Magadzi came today and hope they are going to do everything that they promised. The reason why people vandalise the pump station is because of the empty promises.”
In response to the crowd, Magadzi requested that they protect the infrastructure as vandalism of basic services had deprived communities of these basic services, which was deeply concerning to the department.
“We are working with the City and its Water and Sanitation directorate, and we will be able to put our plans together so that we can assist. There is a sanitation programme, there is a water programme being implemented so we will work together and fast-track the City’s plans,” Magadzi said.
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