While the City delivers services, criminal elements destroy infrastructure

What started out as a quiet week last week, following the first major storm that hit our shores, and which saw more businesses safely open their doors and begin to trade again, ended with criminals burning down a crèche and electricity depot in Hangberg, Hout Bay and torching two MyCiti busses and the bus station in Dunoon.

I have seen photos doing the rounds of the Little Angels crèche burning down in Hangberg while local ANC leaders stand close by, at a barricade in the road, that prevented emergency fire services from accessing the area to extinguish the blaze, smiling and seemingly celebrating the destruction of this important community service. The crèche was also the site from which a soup kitchen was run and which fed hundreds of residents in need of a warm meal. The good samaritans who ran the crèche and soup kitchen can no longer provide these services as their ingredients and equipment were burned to the ground in apparent ‘retaliation’ for the repeated removal of an illegal, partially built and unoccupied structure on land that has been earmarked for community services.

While people can’t go to work because of job losses due to the national lockdown, there are many who rely on the support of soup kitchens for a warm meal. I have already been in contact with the local Ward Councillor, Rob Quintas, to identify what can be done to help the soup kitchen set up again. We will be providing containers to serve as the temporary structure, and a soup kitchen starter kit with gas burners, a four plate stove, 100L pots and dry ingredients so that they can get back to feeding those in need as soon as possible.

I will be raising the actions of the local ANC leaders with President Cyril Ramaphosa so that his party can investigate the actions of his members who appear to take joy at the expense of other’s misery.

A day after the crèche was destroyed, R8 million worth of public transport infrastructure was burned to the ground in Dunoon. The MyCiti station and two busses were destroyed, leaving that community without much needed affordable public transport. During this global coronavirus pandemic, we need every bus we have to ensure that social distancing can be maintained and commuters can get to work safely. Destroying these services not only reduces essential public services for our residents, but it puts communities at risk. How will those who relied on the MyCiti for affordable public transport get to work now?

I want to urge residents to come forward with information about who is burning these structures and destroying the services that government and caring residents want to provide to communities in need. You can report them anonymously to 021 480 7700, we don’t need your name, but if you keep quiet when you know who the criminals are, then you are not doing your part to be part of the solution. I will also be writing to the Western Cape Provincial Police Commissioner, General Yolisa Matakata, as the South African Police Service (SAPS) need to show that they are capable of identifying the perpetrators, arresting those responsible, and ensuring there is enough evidence to secure a successful prosecution. This kind of criminality and state sabotage cannot go unchecked and the Provincial Commissioner will need to make sure action is taken.

Issued by Greg Wagner, Spokesperson to the Executive Mayor, 22 June 2020