Anger over taps thefts

RESIDENTS of Khayelitsha are furious over the new trend of theft of public tap handles

Residents of the SST informal settlement, in Khayelitsha's Town Two, said more than six of the communal taps cannot be used because the handles have been stolen.

Resident Nosiviwe Mazwayi said: "Initially we thought criminals are stealing bronze taps because they want to sell these to the scrapyard and so the city installed plastic taps. But the same thing keeps happening."

She said it was difficult for the women to use the taps now because they need to be turned on with pliers.

Fezeka Sifuba, a mother of eight-month-old twins, said:

"My husband bought me a set of pliers, so that I can't be struggling, roaming around borrowing it.

"Sometimes I can spend about five minutes opening the tap because it is so difficult.

"So, now before my husband goes to work, he fetches the water for cooking and doing washing for the children."

Melumzi Vanqa described SST as a high crime zone.

"Criminals steal everything here. You can't leave your door open even if you are going next door," he said.

ANC councillor Amos Komeni said: "I am not sure of the motive behind the stealing because it's not even a bronze tap which they can sell. It's just plastic."

Komeni vowed he would investigate whether it was vandalism or thefts.