Yesterday (March 29), uThukela District Municipality Mayor Siphiwe Mazibuko – along with Thabiso Mngoma, area engineer responsible for Ladysmith – headed out to the sewer pump station situated at Matthews Farm behind Leonardsville.
Leonardsville, as well as surrounding areas, has been facing enormous problems regarding sewer bursts, with complaints from residents reported frequently.
The purpose of going to the pump station was to clarify that the ongoing sewer problems are not due to the municipality’s incompetence, but rather the ongoing theft of cables that supply power to the transformers.
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On arrival at the pump station, it was discovered that cables that produce power to the transformers had been cut and stolen, and panels inside had been vandalised.
“The vandalism seems to be a continuous thing, with the pump station having been vandalised and cables stolen more than three times already,” said Thabiso Mngoma.
He also stated that new panels have been put in, leaving the damages inside costing about R400,000 excluding the stolen cables outside, which were most probably stolen for their copper content.
“I am very concerned about the continuous actions of sabotage. Council is losing money due to the perpetrators, who do not understand the value and the role played by this pump station.
“We understand the impact this has caused to residents of Leonardsville and its surrounding areas, and we ask people to bear with us as we try to resolve the matter by upgrading security,” said Mayor Mazibuko.
The mayor stated that they will resolve this matter by improving security measures; by building a secure structure to ensure that nobody has access into the pump station or even appointing an armed guard.
“I am appealing to the community to assist in reporting the thieves to the police or to the municipality itself. He also pleaded to residents to have patience as they work on and solve the problem.
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