City Condemns Thuggery and Violence

The City of Tshwane would like to denounce in the strongest terms the violence and thuggery directed at its security guards and infrastructure following a break-in at the Inlet Works of the Temba Waste (Sewage) Water Treatment Plant, yesterday, October 20, 2024.

At around 19h45, four private security guards who were on duty were accosted by about 10 criminals at gunpoint. The suspects gained access through the fence at the back of the Inlet Works and shot the locked security door.
The security guards were overpowered, tied with handcuffs, and robbed of their firearms and phones, while the other suspects cut power cables at the Inlet Works. Subsequently, the treatment of sewage in the catchment cannot be done due to the vandalism which may result in pollution to the immediate environment which can cause a health hazard.
An alarm was raised by one guard at 3.45 am after he had managed to escape since his handcuffs were used by the suspects to lock the main entrance of the gate. While this aggression is meted out to the security personnel, it translates to delays in carrying out the municipality’s maintenance responsibilities.

A case docket has been opened with the South African Police Service, Temba Police Station, CAS 101/2024.

Communities are urged to be the eyes and ears of the city in assisting to identify the suspects, who could be from the same community to which the city is trying to provide services.

The city further expresses its disgust at the vandalization and theft of the municipality’s infrastructure.