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Woensdag, 7 Februarie 2018 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | epos: nuus@tygerburger.co.za
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Shop sale now 4263TM E&OE
Further Reductions
Normally R1299 NOW R799
Footwear and accessories for the urban man. treadandmiller.co.za Products subject to availability. Shop UL554
Cnr. Willie van School & Bill Bezuidenhout Street
Bellville
021 003 2776
Normally R850 NOW R499
Normally R899 NOW R599
DAY ZERO ANGST: WATER BEING STOLEN FROM DAMS, CEMETERIES
Normally R1699 NOW R1099
Water theft on the rise
NIELEN DE KLERK @nielendk
A
s Capetonians face harsher drought restrictions and the ever-looming threat and uncertainty of Day Zero, some water users have resorted to stealing water from local dams. “There will always be illegal activities around us, but we do think more water is being stolen,” says Sputnik Ratau, Department of Water and Sanitations spokesperson. In one recent incident, a man who said he iss from o Parow a o No North t was as spotted filling g up
A man who was pictured allegedly stealing water from a Majik Forest dam.
canisters from one of the dams in Majik Forest. According to members of the Majik Forest Neighbourhood Watch, who also posted about the incident on social media, the man brought along his own helper to transport the water. The man allegedly said he could take the water for own use as vagrants freely use it. Members of Law Enforcement, the police and the Parks and Recreation Department were all informed of the incident, they added. According to Ratau, in cases where water is stolen from the departmental supply, officers conduct compliance monitoring to determine whether a person is licensed to take the water. They then hand the perpetrators over to Law Enforcement. JP Smith, Mayco member for safety and security, confirmed to the Daily Voice newspaper on Friday that water theft has become a problem. He was responding to an incident where a man was caught stealing water from Kraaifontein Cemetery. He was given a fine of R1 000. “Yes, it is both the City staff and residents. If the City staff are caught, we will deal with them, but we have also found that the public are stealing from taps at cemeteries, community centres and halls. Law Enforcement is now tackling this,” Smith told the paper. In another part of the City, members of Law Enforcement are investigating the suspected water theft at Liesbeek River, according to a report by CapeTalk. In this case a truck with multiple tankers had allegedly been drawing water illegally for some time, at around 23:00 every night. Anyone who sees water being stolen from dams can call the City of Cape Town on 021 480 7700 or the Department of Water and Sanitation on 0800 200 200.
The man brought along his own helper to collect and transport the water.