16 September 2024
The public library in Browns Farm, Philippi, remains closed a year after it was vandalised and looted in the August 2023 taxi strike. Photo: Sandiso Phaliso
The Browns Farm Public Library in Philippi remains closed more than a year after it was vandalised and looted during destructive protests sparked by the city-wide taxi strike.
At the height of the taxi shutdown in August 2023, public facilities in Philippi such as the library, ward councillor’s office, and community hall were ransacked and vandalised. People stole and damaged books, computers, ceilings and electrical infrastructure in the buildings. Doors and windows were also smashed.
The City of Cape Town says it has no budget to fix the library in the current financial year but is committed to restoring the facility and the cost of repairing the R60-million facility is being assessed. This means the facility will remain closed until further notice.
The library was used by school learners and job seekers for a range of services.
The latest year-long closure is the fourth in a two-year period. The library was also previously closed when staff were robbed in February 2023 and again in May that year.
Resident Tembile Stuurman, who frequently used the library, criticised the community for not having made more of an effort to protect the vital resource. “Books are a treasure and reading is knowledge,” he said.
Stuurman said he now has to travel about 3km to the nearest library in Crossroads.
Ward councillor Melikhaya Gadeni (ANC) said: “The closure of such a facility over this length of time has not been good for the community. The impact this has had on learners has been devastating.”
Mayco member for Community Safety and Health, Patricia van der Ross, said the extent of the damage “necessitated the closure” of this service.
“The full budget required, as well as project timelines to complete repairs, etc. will be determined once the assessment has been concluded,” she said, but did not clarify when the assessment would be done.
“While the City understands the inconvenience, we cannot lose sight of the fact that this wanton act of destruction was perpetrated by members of the community … We are committed to ensuring that the library is reinstated to its full operational capacity as soon as possible in order to provide this vital community resource again. In the interim, the community is requested to access services at surrounding libraries,” said van der Ross.