Property destruction leaves communities with a deficit
22 July 2020
In recent weeks, the City’s Community Services and Health Directorate has borne the brunt of vandalism and malicious damage to property that have accompanied violent protests. This has resulted in damage amounting to millions of rand.
In the most recent incident on Tuesday, 21 July 2020, protesters targeted the OR Tambo Hall in Khayelitsha.
The extent of the damage has yet to be determined, as the area remains too volatile for staff to gain access.
This is the third time in as many years that the facility has been targeted, and comes soon after more than R4 million was spent to fix the damage caused by the previous attack in August 2018 when protesters set fire to the roof.
On Saturday, 18 July 2020, the Desmond Tutu Hall – also in Khayelitsha – was set alight and vandalised, putting paid to plans to open the clinic overflow facility that had been set up to broaden access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A few days prior, play equipment was dislodged from two parks in Wallacedene by land invaders to erect structures.
On 9 July 2020, protest action along Baden Powell Drive spilled over to the City’s Monwabisi resort, where buildings were set alight and equipment stolen.
'These senseless acts have robbed the affected communities of the opportunity to enjoy the facilities that have been built and installed for them. It will also slow down development opportunities as funding that could have been used for building or renovating other facilities will now have to be diverted for repairs.
‘There is never an excuse to vent frustration through the wanton destruction that we have witnessed in the past few weeks. The impact of the destruction will be felt for months, if not years, as these facilities stand idle while repairs are planned and executed, which means communities cannot use the halls for sport, recreation, or education purposes, among others,’ said the Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
The City’s Recreation and Parks Department has completed an assessment of the damage at the Monwabisi Resort.
This included:
A garage, store room and security office, which were completely gutted. The contents, which included gardening equipment and a ride-on mower, were destroyed
Fire damage to various other buildings on site, including the storeroom, which meant that items like kitchen appliances, furniture, pressure cleaners and generators had to be written off
The theft of two washing machines, three bar fridges, two tables, 12 chairs, two burner stoves, a kettle, a microwave and mattress covers
In the 2019/20 financial year, approximately R2 million was spent upgrading the facility in preparation for the summer season, when the resort sees up to 1 000 visitors daily during its peak.
Based on the updated report, the damages are likely to be in excess of R2 million as infrastructural defects and replacement of machinery and equipment will need to be taken into account once the insurance assessment has been completed.
‘We cannot continue the two steps forward, three steps back approach in perpetuity. Our goal is to install community services close to the community to ensure universal access, not for these services and facilities to be soft targets.
‘We need residents, non-governmental organisations and community sectoral groups to work with City departments in building a safe environment, but also to protect these important assets,’ added Councillor Badroodien.
The City calls on residents to report any threat to community facilities to the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre by dialling 021 480 7700 from a cellphone or 107 from a landline.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
