The tampering of a valve that regulates and controls the flow of water to Ekangala and Rethabiseng areas in Region 7 this week has been described as an act of sabotage.
This comes after the City of Tshwane was furnished with information regarding the alleged saboteurs of the water infrastructure.
Municipal spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the City was told that a Mahindra bakkie, suspected to be involved in meddling with water valves, was spotted in Rethabiseng’s Extension 4.
“It is presumed that the alleged saboteurs of the water infrastructure are drivers of the bakkie in question, a supposition which is yet to be proven,” he said.
He said the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) officials have been activated to conduct operations in the area.
The valve tampering, Mashigo said, delayed water restoration to Rethabiseng after residents have been without water for weeks. Water supply was, however, restored in other areas in the region.
Mashigo said: “The City of Tshwane condemns in the strongest possible terms the probable acts of sabotage by characters hell-bent on depriving residents their right to having clean potable water in and around Rethabiseng area, which is situated between Bronkhorstspruit and Ekangala in Region 7.”
Water, he said, had been restored in Ekangala and Rethabiseng with the exception of Rethabiseng Extension 4 due to challenges experienced with the infrastructure network connection.
“Some parts of Region 7, particularly Rethabiseng and Ekangala, had experienced a prolonged water outage caused by the breakdown of a pump at the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Plant. As a mitigating factor, water tankers were dispatched in the affected areas during that period,” he said.
He said shortly after water supply was restored and the deployment of water tankers stopped, reports emerged from some quarters indicating possible sabotage in the form of tampering with water infrastructure.
“Residents are urged to write down the registration numbers of questionable vehicles and to report them immediately to the TMPD on 012 358 7095/7096. This number is manned 24/7,” Mashigo said.
Pretoria News