The struggle against vandalism and theft at community facilities continues. The City is doing its part to protect assets, but communities are urged to take ownership of the facilities to assist in protecting them from vandalism.

The City of Cape Town renews its call on communities to help fight the scourge of vandalism and theft at community facilities.

It is just a few weeks into the new year, and several facilities have already been targeted by criminal elements in the community, disrupting service delivery but also requiring repairs with funds that could have been spent elsewhere.

‘Looking after our facilities requires the support and collaboration of all community members. I want to encourage communities to take ownership of these facilities and assist us in our fight to protect these assets.

‘We cannot allow the vandalism and destruction of City property, and ultimately community assets, to continue. It is a waste of resources, as money that could be used for housing or sanitation has to be used to repair assets,’ said the Executive Mayor of the City of Cape Town, Dan Plato.

Facilities within the Community Services and Health Directorate are particularly vulnerable. These include libraries, clinics, sports complexes, community centres and parks.

‘City facilities are the continuous targets of wanton criminal acts and vandalism; and the City spends millions annually to repair and replace these assets. Facilities are not only incapacitated for use, but the loss and damage deprive the very communities they serve.

‘Incidents recorded range from petty theft to the theft of geysers, gates and fixtures and the damage of tiles, soap dishes, parts of toilets and carports. The reality is that we have a social problem which manifests itself as crime and vandalism on easy targets such as cemeteries and recreation facilities,’ said the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.

Some of the incidents reported in recent months include:

A power outage at the Bishop Lavis library on 4 January 2019 as a result of vandalism of a nearby electricity substation, which meant that staff were unable to use their telephones or computers and patrons couldn’t use the library. Burglars also tried to access the library during the power outage, but were interrupted by security guards who alerted law enforcement.

Damage to wooden structures, trees and rubber matting at the Nomzamo Smart Park on Monday 7 January 2019 as a result of a fire. This meant that a large area of this popular recreation spot had to be cordoned off and was unusable by children who were on holiday.

During the December holidays, the Delft Library suffered a number of broken windows while a section of the fence was removed and a door at the reference section was vandalised.

Chillers on the roof of the Bellville Library were vandalised and the copper pipes stolen twice, with the second incident occurring in November last year.

Last year the Company’s Garden had a heritage sundial stolen in addition to the copper plate at the entrance; the lion’s heads on the Thorne fountain were vandalised; and the water pipe at one of the statues was damaged.

‘Thus far, in this financial year, three departments have recorded nearly two million rand spent on repairs and the replacement of damaged or stolen equipment, including more than a thousand library items.

‘This is not to mention the untold cost on staff morale. Staff are traumatised by incidences which often have a psychological impact on their wellbeing. They are afraid of working in high-risk areas as a result of multiple attacks on facilities which results in high numbers of resignations at these facilities. The filling of vacancies is an ongoing challenge at these facilities and current staff members are not willing to transfer to these facilities to continue rendering essential services, which in turn impacts negatively on communities,’ added Councillor Badroodien.

In August last year, the directorate announced a major financial injection to help keep community facilities safe from criminals.

Some of these initiatives include:

R10,1 million for security hardening measures like burglar bars, alarm systems, high mast lighting, etc.

R20 million for the deployment of Facility Protection Officers

R9,8 million for the deployment of 312 Safety Wardens

‘These interventions are starting to make a difference in the areas where they are deployed, but we still have a long way to go and we cannot do it alone. I urge all residents to contact the police or Law Enforcement if you see anything suspicious. Help us take care of what belongs to us all,’ said Councillor Badroodien.

To report vandalism, call 107 from a landline or 021 480 7700 from a cellphone.

Source: City Of Cape Town