Tshwane vexed by attacks on employees and the torching of its fleet
The drivers will allegedly be offered to undergo therapy at the wellness clinic following traumatic incidents on September 13.
The Tshwane metro has condemned Wednesday’s “thuggish, violent, brazen, shameful, deeply saddening, angering and shocking” attacks on its assets.
It alleged the attacks were perpetrated by the people participating in the unlawful strike that has beset the metro for more than a month.
On September 13, violence and destruction erupted in Pretoria CBD leaving assets of Tshwane charred.
The mayor urged the city manager and metro police chief to urgently engage higher spheres of government to intensify its investigation of the crimes and make the necessary arrests.
More @CityTshwane vehicles attacked… @CilliersB pic.twitter.com/nNuU99HmZ9
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) September 13, 2023
MMC for community safety Grandi Theunissen said Tshwane witnessed organised crime in the Capital City.
“These criminals should face the full might of the law.
“It is clear we are no longer dealing with an illegal strike action, we are now dealing with a well-coordinated criminal attack against Tshwane.
“What started as sporadic acts of violence linked to the illegal strike action has now escalated into what the coalition government believes is organised violence aimed at destabilising Tshwane by attacking the city, its property, and its employees.”
Theunissen said a Tshwane bakkie, water tanker, three water and sanitation trucks, and an A Re Yeng bus were damaged in various violent incidents in the Pretoria CBD.
Four vehicles were also torched and an employee was violently assaulted during one of these incidents.
He said the employee was taken to hospital in a serious condition.
“Tshwane is far beyond the point where there could be any negotiations between government and employees.
“What we need now is decisive police intervention and action to identify, trace, arrest and prosecute the culprits who have put the city’s property, service delivery for our residents and the lives of employees at risk.”
Tshwane metro spokesperson Selby Bokaba labelled the destruction of property “brazen, shameful, deeply saddening, angering and shocking”.
He said the truck and water tanker were torched outside the Prince’s Park depot in Pretoria CBD along Nana Sita on the corner of Charlotte Maxeke and Es’kia Mphahlele streets.
“The tanker had just drawn water from the depot for delivery to Region 4 informal settlements. The driver was physically assaulted, fortunately, he managed to escape serious injuries.”
The bakkie belongs to the Tshwane asset protection monitoring unit.
“Two members of the unit were taken to hospital with injuries. They are responsible for the protection of city assets such as the depots and substations. At the time of their ambush, they were busy monitoring the depots.”
Bokaba said the drivers of the two trucks that were burned, had been dispatched to Region 3 to attend to sewer blockage complaints by residents but could not complete their task because of the ambush.
More footage @CilliersB https://t.co/iyhixCYz2t pic.twitter.com/y2cWLma8LQ
— DA ruined Tshwane (@BraJabu1) September 13, 2023
The two trucks were torched along Kgosi Mampuru, between Pretorius and WF Nkomo streets. Luckily, the drivers escaped without injury.
He said the drivers would undergo therapy at the wellness clinic following these traumatic incidents.
City manager Johann Mettler has strongly denounced the attacks and urged law enforcement to “relentlessly pursue the perpetrators of this heinous crime and bring them to book”.
“Tshwane condemns in the strongest terms the thuggish and violent character of the unlawful and unprotected strike that has bedevilled the city for more than a month.
MMC for roads and transport Katlego Mathebe said due to the incidents, commuters would be left without metro-provided transportation.
“All A Re Yeng and Tshwane bus services operations have been suspended following incidents of pelting of buses with stones and [other] objects.”
Mathebe said commuters should arrange alternative transport and would be kept abreast of future bus operations.
Municipal vehicles are being attacked in Pretoria West. @CityTshwane @CilliersB pic.twitter.com/2NzBdilaw7
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) September 13, 2023
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