Keeping up with Council
Alderwoman Pelisa Nkunjana sworn in as the first female Chief Whip of the CoE in over twenty years; public cautioned against tampering with fire hydrants.
Don’t tamper with fire hydrants, metro warns
The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) cautions the public against tampering with fire hydrants, as such actions may lead to disastrous consequences.
According to Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) spokesperson William Ntladi, the city has noted with concern an increasing number of fire hydrants being tampered with, mainly to draw water.
“Fire hydrants play a crucial role in fire suppression efforts, providing a reliable water source for firefighters to extinguish blazes quickly and efficiently.
“When residents tamper with fire hydrants or use them in contravention of the city’s by-laws, it can compromise their functionality, potentially leading to delays in emergency response times and increased risk to lives and property,” said Ntladi.
Also Read: WATCH: Fire causes tennis club’s death knell
He reminded residents and those running businesses such as car washes that using fire hydrants to fill up containers for personal or business use contravenes by-laws while also wasting a significant amount of water.
“In the event of water supply interruptions, the city provides water tankers to mitigate the effect of the supply interruption and ensure there is access to clean water for essential needs.
Therefore, residents and businesses should refrain from using fire hydrants during these interruptions, as doing so violates regulations and puts the community at risk.”
“Fire hydrants should only be used for their intended purpose – emergencies,” explained Ntladi.
Report vandalism of public infrastructure
DEMS has called on the public to report the vandalism and theft of public facilities, including hydrants, by using the following platforms:
Twitter handle: CoE_Call_Centre
Siyakhokha website https://siyakhokha.ekurhuleni.gov.za/Account/Login
email @ Call.Centre@ekurhuleni.gov.za
My Ekurhuleni App
New chief whip for council
Alderwoman Pelisa Nkunjana made history when she was sworn in on September 16 as the first female Chief Whip of the CoE in over twenty years.
This came after Nkunjana was elected unopposed to this position during an extraordinary council meeting on September 13.
She previously held various positions on the mayoral committee and served as chairperson of oversight committees.
The speaker of the council in the city, Nthabiseng Tshivhenga, congratulated Nkunjana and wished her well in her new role.
Also Read: City of Ekurhuleni elects new council whip, delays decision on EMPD chief
