Strike action and sabotage during August are claimed to have cost the Amatola Water Board over R1m.
In Amatola Water’s “Report On The Impact By The Strike Action During The Period From 2 to 13 August 2018”, seen by the Daily Dispatch, it is claimed that during the 12 days covered by the report an estimated R1,035,606 was lost due to strike action, of which R905,600 was a loss in revenue.
Amatola Water CEO Vuyo Zitumane confirmed the authenticity of an affidavit, dated August 2 and addressed to the provincial police commissioner, in which she alleges that multiple acts of sabotage on Amatola Water Board infrastructure may have been carried out by striking employees.
Much of Amatola Water’s infrastructure is a national key point under the National Key Points Act.
In the “greater East London region” the service provider has several dams: Gubu Dam, Laing Dam, Nahoon Dam, Rooikrantz Dam, Sandile Dam and Wriggleswade Dam – and the actions of sabotage occurred on infrastructure connected to some of these.
The Daily Dispatch reported on August 10 that strike action had affected water provision in Peddie-based Ngqushwa local municipality and the Laing Dam, which provides water to Bhisho, Zwelitsha and Dimbaza.
Examples of criminal acts cited in the affidavit include arson, sabotage, intimidation and burglary. It is alleged that on August 2 a scour valve at Zwelitsha was “sabotaged” in an unspecified manner at 7.46pm.
On the same day it was reported that striking employees had opened the valves in the holding reservoir servicing “large parts” of Berlin and Fort Jackson as well as the surrounding villages.
A Daily Dispatch source, who is not authorised to speak to the media but who has an understanding of water systems, said that a scour valve is used to drain a pipe, usually for maintenance. He said if it is done as an act of vandalism, opening the valve would have the potential to disrupt water supply.
He said the only people who should have knowledge of where the scour valves are located are employees.
The alleged acts of sabotage continued on August 3 when, according to Zitumane’s affidavit, “unidentified individuals … sabotaged the water pipeline by opening the scour valves through isolating the valves and closing the main line to Bhisho … and Berlin, disrupting the water supply to Berlin and the whole of King William’s Town, Bhisho and Zwelitsha”.
These alleged acts of sabotage picked up drastically again on August 6.
Zitumane claims the syphon pipeline at the Laing Dam was “sabotaged” after it was blocked, preventing the distribution of water to “numerous Amatola customers”.
The Bhisho pump-station was then burgled and set alight. “Unidentified individuals committed an act of arson by setting the Bhisho pump-house building alight after first [burgling] it and pouring a fuelling substance into it before setting it alight,” read Zitumane’s affidavit which alleges that a “suspect” vehicle was seen near the scene of the alleged sabotage.
It is further asserted that the same vehicle was seen on multiple occasions outside of Amatola head office in Vincent.
Photographs attached to the affidavit show the vehicle parked outside the office and also signs of fire damage to what is said to be the Bhisho pump-house.
SA Municipal Workers Union regional secretary Zolani Ndlela could not be reached for comment at time of writing on Tuesday.
Amatola Water claims R1m arson, sabotage
Image: Supplied
Strike action and sabotage during August are claimed to have cost the Amatola Water Board over R1m.
In Amatola Water’s “Report On The Impact By The Strike Action During The Period From 2 to 13 August 2018”, seen by the Daily Dispatch, it is claimed that during the 12 days covered by the report an estimated R1,035,606 was lost due to strike action, of which R905,600 was a loss in revenue.
Amatola Water CEO Vuyo Zitumane confirmed the authenticity of an affidavit, dated August 2 and addressed to the provincial police commissioner, in which she alleges that multiple acts of sabotage on Amatola Water Board infrastructure may have been carried out by striking employees.
Much of Amatola Water’s infrastructure is a national key point under the National Key Points Act.
In the “greater East London region” the service provider has several dams: Gubu Dam, Laing Dam, Nahoon Dam, Rooikrantz Dam, Sandile Dam and Wriggleswade Dam – and the actions of sabotage occurred on infrastructure connected to some of these.
The Daily Dispatch reported on August 10 that strike action had affected water provision in Peddie-based Ngqushwa local municipality and the Laing Dam, which provides water to Bhisho, Zwelitsha and Dimbaza.
Examples of criminal acts cited in the affidavit include arson, sabotage, intimidation and burglary. It is alleged that on August 2 a scour valve at Zwelitsha was “sabotaged” in an unspecified manner at 7.46pm.
On the same day it was reported that striking employees had opened the valves in the holding reservoir servicing “large parts” of Berlin and Fort Jackson as well as the surrounding villages.
A Daily Dispatch source, who is not authorised to speak to the media but who has an understanding of water systems, said that a scour valve is used to drain a pipe, usually for maintenance. He said if it is done as an act of vandalism, opening the valve would have the potential to disrupt water supply.
He said the only people who should have knowledge of where the scour valves are located are employees.
The alleged acts of sabotage continued on August 3 when, according to Zitumane’s affidavit, “unidentified individuals … sabotaged the water pipeline by opening the scour valves through isolating the valves and closing the main line to Bhisho … and Berlin, disrupting the water supply to Berlin and the whole of King William’s Town, Bhisho and Zwelitsha”.
These alleged acts of sabotage picked up drastically again on August 6.
Zitumane claims the syphon pipeline at the Laing Dam was “sabotaged” after it was blocked, preventing the distribution of water to “numerous Amatola customers”.
The Bhisho pump-station was then burgled and set alight. “Unidentified individuals committed an act of arson by setting the Bhisho pump-house building alight after first [burgling] it and pouring a fuelling substance into it before setting it alight,” read Zitumane’s affidavit which alleges that a “suspect” vehicle was seen near the scene of the alleged sabotage.
It is further asserted that the same vehicle was seen on multiple occasions outside of Amatola head office in Vincent.
Photographs attached to the affidavit show the vehicle parked outside the office and also signs of fire damage to what is said to be the Bhisho pump-house.
SA Municipal Workers Union regional secretary Zolani Ndlela could not be reached for comment at time of writing on Tuesday.
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