Cape Town – As Cape Town temperatures soared over the past weekend, residents who wanted to cool off reportedly clashed with the Manenberg public swimming pool employees, as they forced entry into the closed facility.
Reports alleged that the officials were attacked with stones following the public pool’s closure on Friday.
According to reports, the pools were closed due to health and safety concerns.
However, due to hot weather over the weekend, scores of Manenberg residents illegally occupied the pool, reports said.
According to CapeTalk, residents, including children, allegedly climbed up a spiked fence to gain access to the pool.
They illegally occupied the facility from Saturday, the report said.
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The City has condemned the resident’s behavior.
However, community policing forum (CPF) chairperson, Vernon Visagie, said he understood the residents’ frustrations, News24 reported.
Visagie claimed that the City had not updated residents on the maintenance work of the pool, the report said.
“Residents are frustrated and I can understand why. The City has not been in contact with the CPF or residents on the update on how far the pool’s maintenance repair work is.
“It’s as if they are singling out Manenberg because of the status of the area. Why must our people pay money to travel to Sea Point pool or other public pools when we have our own pools in the area?,” the report quoted Visagie as saying.
Ross appeal to the public to refrain from trying to enter the facility illegally and condemned the violent acts and physical attempts to harm facility employees, the report said.
According to the City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Patricia van der Ross, the pool was closed due to excessive rust which posed a risk to the infrastructure and possibly cause poisoning.
Ross said a detailed assessment had to be conducted.
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Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe
