Several offices in the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality building sustained significant water damage due to flooding after a tap was left open yesterday.

According to several reliable sources from within the municipality, sabotage is expected behind the flooding, after toilet paper was forced into draining systems to prevent the water build-up from draining.

The incident comes on the back of other acts of vandalism of municipal infrastructure:

Substations, transformers and electricity boxes vandalised

The Kanonkop and Dennesig suburbs have experienced frequent interruptions of electricity supply due to vandalism of substations, transformers and electricity boxes.

Electricity boxes in Kanonkop are frequently broken open and electrical infrastructure damaged.

The vandalism of electricity boxes has escalated to a point where DA Ward Councillor, Hennie Niemann, also called on the public to be the eyes and ears of the municipality by reporting any suspicious activity at the substations and electricity boxes.

Substandard work results in repeated repairs

Residents also expressed their dissatisfaction with the substandard level of work currently being provided by the Department of Water and Sanitation.
Most parts of Middelburg has been gripped by water interruptions, owed to frequent pipe bursts.

In most situations, residents report that repairs to pipe bursts are not done efficiently, resulting in the same pipes bursting repeatedly.

High water pressures are also being reported by residents of Mineralia and Aerorand where water interruptions are highest.

In Eastdene, residents and shop owners of the Eastdene Shopping Complex also expressed concern over the delay in response from the Department of Water and Sanitation with regards to repairs of burst pipes.

These residents have pointed out that leaks are left for weeks and sometimes months, before any response and that even after repairs, the same leaks spring up again without being attended to.

Ditches are also left wide open without any attempt to tidy up after repairs.

Residents who have watched Middelburg deteriorate in front of their eyes are now rightfully demanding to know who lies behind these incidents of sabotage.