The City of Cape Town has withdrawn water and sanitation services from Samora Machel until further notice after a staff member was shot while they were repairing a collapsed sewer pipeline.
The man and his colleagues were working on Helen Joseph Street when they were robbed by four young skelms.
The City has condemned the “senseless, violent attack” on their water and sanitation team and says services have been withdrawn to safeguard their workers.
“Earlier today, four suspected teenagers robbed a City team of their belongings, such as wallets and cellphones, while they were busy repairing a collapsed sewer in Helen Joseph Street, Samora Machel.
“The supervisor, who is also the driver, was shot and has been hospitalised after the bullet narrowly missed his spine. He will need to undergo surgery and his condition is being monitored closely,” the City said.
The City said other staff members on site who were traumatised by the incident were taken home, and they have obtained trauma counselling for those who wish to receive it.”
Mayoral Committee member for Water and Waste Xanthea Limberg says: “As a result of this incident, water and sanitation services relating to service requests have been temporarily withdrawn from this area until further notice and teams will return once it is safe to do so.
“We ask residents to please bear with us as water-related service requests, such as clearing sewer blockages or repairing burst pipes, will unfortunately not be attended to during this time.
“Residents are assured that every effort is being made to ensure the services resume as soon as it is safe to do so.”
The police told the Daily Voice yesterday that no one had opened a case for the incident.