Local authorities informed of deadly hole 2 years ago

THE Western Cape government and the City of Cape town were apparently alerted two years ago about people digging sand off the N2 Borchards Quarry Road opposite Europe informal settlement in Gugulethu, where four boys fell to their death this week.

They’ve been blamed by the EFF for having done nothing about it.

The EFFs Western Cape spokesperson, Wandile Kasibe, has now called for the province and the City to take responsibility for the deaths.

“The life of these children could have been spared if the City had fixed this sand dune hole when they were alerted about the danger it was posing to children by a concerned resident as early as October 15, 2019. As the EFF, we would like to know what did the City do to respond to this alert when it was brought to their attention in 2019? Why did they not fix the hole? As the party, we submit that this is pure negligence on the part of the City and as such, we call on the City and provincial government to take full responsibility for the death of these young children,” said Kasibe.

Mayor Dan Plato said the N2 at Borcherd’s Quarry was not a City of Cape Town road, and that it belonged to the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works.

Transport and Public Works MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela’s spokesperson, Ntomboxolo MakobaSomdaka, said the MEC had called for an urgent investigation into the matter.

“Details of this incident and many others will be revealed in the report. We are expecting the report no later than next week,” said Makoba-Somdaka.

The EFF has also criticised Plato for his comments that the children should not have been playing near the hole.

During a visit to the families yesterday, Deputy Minister of State Security Zizi Kodwa said the City had no plans to uplifting the lives of black people in the township

“What this incident does is expose the living conditions blacks live under in the Western Cape government. If you look at this area, it has been there for a very long time, even people who were born 20 years ago still have not seen any change.

“That purely shows that the sin of Barcelona, Vukuzenzele and Europe informal settlement residents is the colour of their skin. I saw a mayor with small trousers going up and down visiting the families of the deceased earlier.”

Kasibe said: “As the party we are disgusted by the cold response from the mayor of the City, Dan Plato, who commented that there are enough play parks in Nyanga and that these children should not have been playing there in the first place. Such responses can only come from someone who represents a racist government that has no respect for the sanctity of life, particularly the life of a black child. There are not enough play parks. It is disingenuous of the mayor to say there are enough play grounds in the black townships when he knows very well that the Western Cape government has for the longest time neglected black townships and left them underdeveloped.”

Replying to the EFF statement, Plato said local residents illegally mined sand in that area and not only created a major risk for the road infrastructure, but an even bigger risk for curious children looking to occupy their afternoon.

“To politicise the deaths of four innocent children is absolutely shameful, but sadly a party like the EFF seeks only political gain no matter at whose expense. The reality is that local residents illegally mined sand in that area and not only created a major risk for the road infrastructure, but clearly an even bigger risk for curious children looking to occupy their afternoon. I have met with the families of the children to offer my sincere condolences and the city has also offered to pay for the funerals of the children. I urge political parties to stop abusing this tragedy for their own gain and to give the parents the space and time to grieve,” said Plato.