Guards for crowded Newlands Spring as tension rises
Some people have been collecting hundreds of litres of water at a time, holding up the already long queue
Guards are being posted at a popular Cape Town spring after a fight broke out. In a sign of rising tension over access to the city’s dwindling water supply‚ one of the people involved in a fight this week at Newlands Spring was arrested. JP Smith‚ Cape Town mayoral committee member for safety and security‚ said the growing number of people trying to collect water at the spring — at the end of Springs Way‚ a cul-de-sac — was creating massive congestion. "The surrounding neighbours and particularly the adjacent old-age home are also being adversely affected‚" he said. "The congestion and noise from cars and persons visiting the site at all hours of the day and night is causing many complaints from the surrounding community." Smith said that from Thursday‚ city council law enforcement officers would manage the spring 24 hours a day. Traffic cops would also be there to manage congestion and parking‚ and vehicles would not be allowed in after 10pm or before 7am. "A venue operations centr...
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