City of Cape Town faces backlash over neglected property and water wastage
Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers
Neighbours living near the former AL-Noor Child and Youth Care Centre for orphans in Woodstock, where operations were shut more than five years ago after the Department of Social Development removed 17 children from its care, said their pleas to the City to fix a burst pipe has fallen on deaf ears.
This week the Cape Argus established that the property belongs to the City's Human Settlements division, after claims that it was under the Western Cape Government.
Irate residents said they had reported the burst pipe to authorities for years and shared videos of streams of water gushing down the street.
One resident, who asked only to be identified as Sandor, said he and his fellow neighbours made numerous calls and complaints to the City about the alarming amount of water, and was forced to contact the media.
'Every time there is a lot of rain, the pressure seems to increase and there seems to be a burst pipe underground,' he said.
'This used to be once the old Bowling Club and then it became an orphanage, which was closed down.
'As far as we understand, someone is supposed to be looking after the premises but there are squatters.
'The ground there is slightly higher than our road and for the past four to five years we have been calling the City as water has been coming through the vibacrete fence.
'The City would send officials and say there is no one on the property for them to obtain the ERF number.
'This is the situation for years and the water just runs into the streets and this is water that is being wasted.'
Ward 115 councillor Ian McMahon said they were aware of the community's complaints and would be undertaking to resolve the issue soon.
'Our office was alerted to this leak in January as well as other reference numbers sent to us by residents,' he said.
'I have reached out to the mayco Water and Sanitation to establish why this has not been attended to, and have not heard back yet, but I'm sure it will be shortly.
"The rains have caused flooding in parts of Cape Town so I'm sure he is busy with that today.
'The property is owned by the City of Cape Town, there is a legal situation currently in play as the site has been occupied. I'd suggest reaching out to Human Settlements Department for more info on this.'
Melt Botes of the Western Cape Government confirmed that according to their records, the property belonged to the City of Cape Town.
In 2019, the Department of Social Development removed 17 children from the premises and the owner, Amina Okpara, was arrested.
Okpara faced charges of contravention of the Immigration Act and a charge of fraud.
AL-Noor Child and Youth Care Centre in Woodstock which was shut down five years ago. Residents have complained of an ongoing water leak for years.
Image: supplied
She was investigated by the Hawks for allegedly having stolen donations and funding provided to the orphanage.
Western Cape Department of Social Development spokesperson, Esther Lewis, said the children were placed in safe homes after the closure, while some have since turned 18 years old.
'The children who were removed in 2019 were of varying ages. Some children were reunified with family members, others remained in alternative safe care, and some will have turned 18 and are no longer in the alternative care system. The Department of Social Development doesn't conduct deportations," she said. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel.
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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'Departments report on their anti-gang plans and activities in selected high-gang areas. The factors that focus on the strengthening of social protective factors against violence include substance abuse, youth development, and early childhood development. These interventions are consolidated into a Provincial Anti-Gang Implementation Plan to ensure integrated interventions in the identified areas,' Tolashe said. 'The recruitment of minors into gangsterism is reported under the prevention level of these interventions.' Tolashe outlined interventions that various departments can implement: 1. The Department of Social Development has community and residential interventions. The community-based interventions are managed through the Area-Based Teams (ABT) with these interventions: Profiling gang-related patterns. Targeted interventions such as school-based crime prevention and life skills programmes, parenting programmes, school holiday programmes, school-based substance prevention programmes, and youth cafes for job skills training. Tolashe also explained that Child and Youth Care Centres have a strong focus on addressing the root causes of youth vulnerability and equip them with skills and support to resist gang involvement. This includes therapeutic counselling, mentorship programmes, behavioural management programmes, education, and skills development programmes. The centres also provide adult basic education and training (ABET) and vocational skills training for those youth who are unable to attend mainstream schools. Youth are also taught non-violent methods for resolving disputes, reducing the need for gang affiliation. 2. Tolashe said there are integrated awareness campaigns and operations between SAPS and the City of Cape Town law enforcement in high gang areas. 3. Tolashe outlined the Western Cape Education Department's Safe Schools interventions. These include search and seizures of dangerous weapons, anti-bullying, anti-gangsterism and anti-substance abuse interventions, holiday and after-school programmes, leadership training, peer mediation, clean-up campaigns, back-to-school, sport, arts and culture, and parent meetings. Tafeni further pressed Minister Tolashe for details on the effectiveness of these interventions and the metrics used to assess them. Responding, Tolashe said: 'DSD alone cannot effectively address the gang prevalence in the Western Cape. Therefore, a whole-of-government approach is followed in the Western Cape. Interventions created inter-departmental linkages that created an effective continuum of services, a better understanding of departmental roles and responsibilities, and highlighted service delivery gaps. 'Effectiveness of interventions is, however, hampered by budget cuts of all departments, continued increase in provincial crime stats, dangerous and volatile communities, low levels of community interest and participation, and the ongoing safety risk for our social workers and other auxiliary staff.' Tolashe added that while a child is in a Child and Youth Care Centre, progress is measured through the Individual Development Plan of the child and preparedness for reintegration. Usually the child responds very well to the structure and targeted interventions within the centre.
