The multi-million rand Seawinds Smart Park, near Lavender Hill in Cape Town has been reduced to a pile of rubble and ash after criminals vandalised the recreational space developed by the City.
The facility, which cost approximately R7.6 million, was unveiled 16 months ago and included world-class features like a water-play area, a multipurpose playground, and an outdoor exercise are among other things. Zahid Badroodien, MMC for Community Services and Health, notes that these features are now burned to ash, vandalised or stolen. “The park has been damaged to such an extent that it is unrecognisable as the same space it was when it opened.” The City of Cape Town has been plagued with vandalism of municipal infrastructure in recent months. The municipality has had to face relentless attacks on its public transport system with both road and rail infrastructure taking a beating from vandalism.“The City cannot fight the scourge of vandalism and destruction alone. Each one of us needs to be more responsible. We must report acts of vandalism and theft to the police and law enforcement as and when we witness them. This requires both active citizenry and exercising our moral duty to do what is right,” Badroodien explains.
