Philippi library closes after robbery and vandalism

The library in Browns Farm, Philippi in Cape Town was robbed and vandalised on Monday. The facility, which is the only library in the community, has been closed.

• The Browns Farm library in Philippi was badly vandalised and robbed on Monday evening.
• The R60-million facility, which was the only library in the area, has now closed.
• It is the third time this year that the library has been forced to close. Staff were robbed in February and again in May.

The only library in Browns Farm, Philippi, has been ransacked and badly vandalised amid the taxi shutdown that has rocked Cape Town for several days. The nearest library is about three kilometres away in Crossroads.

The cost to repair the R60-million facility is yet to be determined. Criminals stole and severely damaged books, computers and most other electrical appliances in the building. Doors and windows were also smashed. The ward councillor, Melikhaya Gadeni’s office, in the same building, was also looted and vandalised.

At 5pm on Monday we found mostly young people forcing themselves inside the facility, breaking the doors and windows. They walked out with boxes and computer screens.

Residents we spoke to condemned the violence, saying that many learners and job seekers in the community who frequently used the library would now suffer.

“It’s sad when people ruin the same resources that are meant to benefit them and future generations. The strike will approach to an terminate, but the area will remain without a library and a community hall for a longer time,” said a community leader who asked that their identity not be published as they feared for their safety.

This is the third time this year that the Browns Farm library has been forced to close. Staff were robbed in February and in May.

Also last year in August, the library was closed for over a month because staff were robbed.

According to community members, people know the identities of the criminals, some as young as 13, but they are too insecure to report them to the police.

Ward 34 Councillor Gadeni (ANC) said, “Why vandalise a library that your sister, brother and child needs? You vandalise a library teaching your mother and sister computer skills, and for what? Why vandalise your councillor’s office that you will need tomorrow when you believe electricity, water and sewer challenges?”

“Do people know how much I had to fight to prevent the library from being closed? A R60-million facility is now gone honest like that,” he said.

He said he felt “defeated” following the vandalism incident this week.

The doors and windows of the library were broken by looters.

Due to threats of violence related to the ongoing taxi strike, municipal services in communities such as Browns Farm, Philippi East, Nyanga and Samora Machel acquire been suspended and some schools and clinics closed.

Resident, Mthimkhulu Ntoni, told GroundUp that opportunistic criminals believe been taking advantage of the taxi shutdown. “It is wrong to raze the same facilities that the community benefits from. If this library ever opens again, we will be lucky.”

Resident Mzukisi Ngqola said he and other residents tried to call the police as the library was being looted, but the police never came. “These kids were breaking windows and the doors. People called the police, but we waited three hours before we gave up. This looting started after 5pm and continued until midnight. I’m disappointed in law enforcement because we as community members can only carry out so much,” said Ngqola.

The City of Cape Town had not responded to our questions at the time of publication.

Books, documents and other items from the library lay strewn across the floor.

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