There has been widespread outrage following yesterday’s (November 6) destruction of electricity infrastructure at the Wembezi Pump House, which supplies water to several areas.

uThukela District Municipality has strongly condemned this act of vandalism, saying it has caused major disruptions to the water supply in Ntabamhlophe, Mhubheni, Shayamoya and Mdwebu.

“This incident occurred just as uThukela was preparing for the contractor to begin repair work on the damaged valves, which had previously been cut off. The water line from Wembezi to Mhubheni has also been destroyed. This has left the municipality deeply concerned about the ongoing acts of vandalism. We will continue to keep the community informed as the situation develops,” the municipality said.

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The Estcourt News has also received a statement from the Democratic Alliance (DA), strongly condemning the incident and calling it a senseless act of destruction aimed at sabotaging the community’s access to basic services.

“We appeal to the community to work with us to identify those responsible for these criminal activities. Cutting electric poles that power water pumps is not only destructive, but also infringes on the community’s right to access clean water,” said Cllr Musa Maxwell Nkala (head of the Planning & Economic Development Portfolio at Inkosi Langalibalele Municipality).

The DA has called on law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to justice. “We will not stand idly by while our community suffers at the hands of vandals,” the statement concluded.

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