The City of Cape Town has condemned an act of deliberate vandalism of the Swartklip Road Sewer Pump Station in Tafelsig, which has left the facility completely inoperable.

The Metro says the vandalism comes after officials disconnected illegal electricity connections in the area. Vandals responded by destroying and stripping millions of rands worth of vital infrastructure.

The City says this reckless criminal act now places thousands of Mitchells Plain residents at risk of ongoing sewer overflows, with severe health and environmental impacts for the community.

The MMC for Water and Sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, says this attack was a direct act of retaliation against the City’s lawful enforcement action to disconnect dangerous, illegal electrical connections.

“These illegal connections were causing pump failures, sewage overflows and creating serious fire hazards that threatened public safety. A comprehensive process was followed, which included numerous engagements with the community, local ward councillors and other stakeholders; however, the City had to disconnect these unlawful connections.”

Initial reports received indicate that the security on site was threatened and was forced to evacuate. This allowed vandals access to the site to destroy all CCTV connections and all the electricity supply needed to operate the pumps.

“The pumps are now fully inoperable. Unfortunately, they have also reconnected their illegal electricity connections to the City supply. The City is currently in the process of planning to disconnect these reconnections in order to restore the pump station to operation.”

Badroodien says as a direct result of this criminal destruction, residents in Mitchells Plain and surrounding areas will now experience sewer overflows, as the pump station is no longer able to pump sewage out of the community.

The City has appealed to residents to come forward with any information that may assist in holding those responsible accountable.

Anyone with information is urged to call 0800 11 00 77. A reward of up to R100 000 is on offer for information that will lead to an arrest or recovery of stolen property.