R3m damage: Vandalism forces closure of three Cape Town public libraries

‘These closures also serve as a reminder of the impact of vandalism and theft on community facilities.’

Three Cape Town libraries have been temporarily closed for repairs following acts of vandalism that caused damage worth over R3m, mayoral committee member for community services and health, Patricia van der Ross, revealed the extent of the scourge on Friday.

Van der Ross said burglars targeted the Milnerton library on August 5 and “pulled virtually all of the wiring from the walls. Since then, the library has been offering limited services to patrons”. 

She said the city would complete the restoration of the library by October 19 and hoped that it would start running two days later.

Van der Ross said the Manenberg and Hanover Park libraries were closed on Wednesday and are set to reopen at the end of November. “Among the work to be completed at the two facilities is roof repairs, electrical systems upgrades, tiling, painting and repairs to windows, doors and burglar proofing,” she said.  

She said the Hanover Park Library will offer limited services at the community hall next to the library. This includes study spaces, book club sessions, reading programmes, and digital and information literacy sessions. “The timing is not ideal, but it was impacted by a number of factors including contractor availability, the finalisation of purchase orders and other administrative processes … the weather,” she said.

“We also have the builders’ holiday, which is not that far off, so best to get the work done as quickly as possible so these facilities can come back online. The city thanks patrons for their understanding and cooperation. These closures also serve as a reminder of the impact of vandalism and theft on community facilities. I want to remind residents to work with us to safeguard these facilities.” 

Van der Ross said two other libraries remained closed. “Brown’s Farm Library sustained significant damages due to vandalism and looting in August 2023, while a fire at the Khayelitsha Library in February 2024 caused significant damage to the roof, walls and electrical systems,” she said.  

“Work continues on finalising cost estimates to repair the damage at the facilities. At Brown’s Farm, an additional assessment of security measures is underway, which might result in further work required to restore operations. The full budget required, as well as project timelines to complete repairs at the facilities, have yet to be determined.” 

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