BREAKING NEWS: Truck drivers ‘steal’ water for Cape Town from Muldersdrift
"Taking this scarce resource from the people of Mogale City without asking is theft. "
Mogale City Local Municipality’s Public Safety Department impounded a double tanker truck in Muldersdrift for loading water out of a municipal point without permission on Thursday, 1 February. Molefi Selibo, ward councillor for the area, caught the truckers filling the tanker with water from the point and asked them what they were doing.
“When he asked the driver and his assistant what they were doing, their accomplices fled the scene. Molefi immediately called Public Safety, which responded swiftly,” said Nkosana Zali, spokesperson for Mogale City Local Municipality.
Photo: Submitted
“The driver told the officers that the water is destined for the Western Cape, but he could not give clear answers regarding who gave instructions for them to collect the water in Mogale City, or why they thought they should come to that specific water point.”
The driver and assistant were arrested and the municipality has opened a case of theft against them. Witnesses told the ward councillor that this was the third truck that had loaded water today, two of them leaving earlier.
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“This is a gross violation of the rights of the citizens of Mogale City,” said Patrick Naga Lipudi, the Executive Mayor. “We are sympathetic to the plight of the people of the Western Cape, especially the poor of that province who are living under severe strain socially and economically. We would certainly want to come to their rescue following a properly organised national water effort that rations the aid municipalities can or should give to the citizens of the Western Cape.
Theft is not the best solution. Taking this scarce resource from the people of Mogale City without asking is theft. Our people pay for water and everybody who uses it must pay. Therefore we want the authorities to get to the bottom of this as a matter of urgency so that we can find out who is running a parallel government and doling out water that belongs to the people of the city so boldly to anyone they feel like.”
The municipality expects swift action from the police so that the momentum provided by the Minister of Police, Fikile Mbalula, is not lost in the fight against crime. In the meantime, the residents of Krugersdorp have put in great efforts to provide water for Cape Town. How do you feel about this arrest? Let us know by leaving a comment on Facebook or sending a detailed explanation to biancap@caxton.co.za.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at krugersdorpnews@caxton.co.za or phone us on 011 955 1130.I
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