Skills centre suffers R100,000 in damages due to vandals
The Ray Mhlaba Skills Training Centre in Glendinningvale has once again been vandalised — and over the past 16 days they have suffered damage to the tune of about R100,000.
Project director Caroline Ferreira said the theft of copper piping had also resulted in a great deal of water being wasted, which was a huge concern given Nelson Mandela Bay’s current water crisis
The training centre is a nonprofit organisation which is an extension of the EP Children’s Home.
It offers a variety of SETA-accredited and entrepreneurial training programmes, and trains students from disadvantaged communities in woodwork, hospitality, early childhood development, hairdressing, sewing, baking, beauty, home-based care and more.
Ferreira said she was battling to sleep as she feared for the safety of the 120 students and staff because they did not know if they would be robbed during the day.
She said the centre had been vandalised three times this month on May 5, May 11, and on Monday night.
“We think they climbed over the electric fence during load-shedding.
“The first time they stole the copper pipes on the front of the building they left water gushing out, probably overnight as there was a dam of water in the front of the centre.
“We know how bad the water crisis is in the Bay. Another concern is the water bill we will probably receive as a result.”
On May 11, vandals stole the copper pipes from the back of the building, according to Ferreira.
She pleaded with authorities to step up policing in the area.
She said thieves had also tried to steal their gas containers, but were unsuccessful.
“We are a nonprofit organisation. We do not have money for such repairs.
“This is the first time in 15 years that we have had this kind of vandalism.
“It is traumatic for everyone, one feels so drained that this is taking up our time which could have been spent on something more constructive.
“If this could happen at night, what is stopping this from happening during the day?
“We have started to live in fear, because we do not know how far this thing is going to go,” Ferreira said.
Asked if the damage would affect the running of the centre, she said indirectly there would be a ripple effect.
However, they had budgeted for their training programmes.
Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said they were investigating a case of theft.