Councillor calls for tight security measures after ‘valve tampering death’

It comes after a man died when he apparently tampered with air valves.

"We are definitely unhappy that It had to come to this state. I mean, if it’s so easy for someone to gain access in order to try and create a major community of areas without water. We have enough water shortage issues in our communities; we don’t need more manmade issues,” says Ward 11 councillor Alan Pieterson. 

The suspected vandal's remains were found near the water pipeline in the vicinity of Riverhorse Valley last week. 

eThekwini says an air valve was removed, which caused water to flood the chamber. 

The man's body is said to have been ripped apart, although the cause of death is yet to be established. 

ALSO READ: Deadly pipeline explosion leaves some Durban areas without water

Engineers believe the high pressure inside the chamber would've killed anyone inside. 

The municipality says it had to shut down the pipeline, and as a result, communities in Umhlanga, Phoenix and Verulam were left without water.  

"In the first area, we found out that we're having these community opportunists who have been going around obviously trying to steal that valve,” says Pieterson. 

“While being on sight, it came to my attention that there is a second scene that they are not allowed to go to at this current moment because search and rescue were there, but when I went to the first site, it came to my attention that one of the doors was open or broken; it wasn't closed so there was easy access."     

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