‘They are attacking the community’: Mayor Mako vows to come down hard on those sabotaging Emfuleni sewer infrastructure

Mako condemned the alleged sabotage and warned that the municipality would not allow anyone to undermine its ongoing efforts to rehabilitate Emfuleni’s deteriorating water and sanitation infrastructure.

“Whoever placed blankets, hides and rocks into these pipes was not attacking a municipality. They were attacking the community, who experience real challenges because of these problems,” Mako said.

The alleged sabotage was uncovered on Wednesday, 27 August, during a service-delivery progress inspection led by Mako’s office at one of the bulk sewer projects undergoing rehabilitation in Boipatong.

According to the municipality, teams working on the sewer system found several foreign objects lodged inside the infrastructure, including large blankets, cow hides and large rocks.

The municipality believes the size, nature and positioning of the objects indicate that they were deliberately inserted into the sewer system.

Mako warned those responsible that they would face consequences.

“We are rebuilding Emfuleni street by street, brick by brick, and we will not allow anyone, whoever they are and whatever their motive, to undermine that work,” he said.

The matter will be reported to the South African Police Service for investigation.

The municipality also warned that tampering with or damaging essential infrastructure is a serious criminal offence and can attract severe penalties under the Criminal Matters Amendment Act.

The discovery comes as Emfuleni embarks on what it describes as the largest rehabilitation of its water and sanitation infrastructure in a generation.

Working with stakeholders including the Department of Water and Sanitation and Rand Water, teams of engineers and workers are repairing and upgrading infrastructure across the municipality, from Leeuwkuil through Sebokeng and Rietspruit.

The work includes replacing collapsed sewer lines, refurbishing pump stations and restoring and upgrading wastewater treatment capacity.

Mako vowed that the rehabilitation programme would continue despite the alleged interference.

“This work is advanced at all sites and it will not be stopped,” he said.

He also urged residents to protect municipal infrastructure and report anyone suspected of interfering with rehabilitation projects.

“I call on our communities: this infrastructure is yours, and the progress being made is yours. Protect it. If you see anything or anyone interfering with it, please report it immediately,” Mako said.

Residents can report suspicious activity around municipal infrastructure to the Essential Infrastructure task team on 082 778 8529, Municipal By-law Enforcement on 068 091 2200, or SAPS on 08600 10111.

The mayor said anonymous reports would be accepted and treated confidentially.