Issued by Jabulani Mkhonza
Communications Manager
UThukela District Municipality
Vandalism of water infrastructure continues unabated across the uThukela District Municipality. It is amongst the worst offences being perpetrated by some criminal elements in our communities and this act has dire consequences as it causes interruption in water supply. A multi-million rand plant in Bhekuzulu, under Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality, has become another statistic of such acts as Pump Station B was vandalised.
Pump Station B is the key pump station for transferring water from the Loskop system to Wards 4, 6, 18, parts of 3 and ward 2.
Upon inspecting the pump station our site engineers found that all of the electrical cabling from the Eskom transformer right into the pump building had been stolen. The locks on the main doors of the pump station had been broken. Inside the pump station the cabling in and out of the main control centre (MCC) panel and to all three pumps has been stolen.
In the process, the MCC has been extensively damaged. Other minor control cabling to and from the meter and control switches has also been removed or damaged. Suffice to say that the damage caused by this theft is extensive and will be costly to repair.
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The municipality is therefore concerned that further theft may be planned as the electric motors for the pumps could also be targeted for removal.
The uThukela District Mayor Cllr Siphiwe Mazibuko has condemned this act as senseless and urged the community to come forward with information that could lead to successful arrest and prosecution of perpetrators.
“Communities should remain forever vigilant and report any forms of vandalism to the local police as most criminal elements that commit these crimes belong to the very same community,” said Mayor Mazibuko.
Amangwe Police station was alerted about the situation and that detailed information will be supplied once the extent of the damaged has been fully investigated.
The immediate impact this will have on the project is to delay the supply of water to parts of Ward 3 and to all of Ward 2. We were anticipating being able to start filling the system soon to supply water to Ward 2 through the refurbished works being carried out by the service provider which is nearing completion.
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