Times Of Swaziland: PIGG’S PEAK TOWN COUNCIL SUFFERS E3.6M LOSS IN ARSON

PIGG’S PEAK TOWN COUNCIL SUFFERS E3.6M LOSS IN ARSON
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Joseph Zulu on 14/10/2022 06:57:00


PIGG’S PEAK – Barely a week after a Pigg’s Peak town council employee’s
vehicle was set alight, property worth over E3.6 million belonging to the same
organisation was set alight.
The arson attack happened at around 12:30am yesterday. It was gathered that
about five people, armed with bush knives, burnt the property situated near the
local dumpsite. This is where the vehicles as well as some of the tools are said
to have been parked. It is also the same vehicles the town council uses for
heavy duty maintenance or even fixing roads. The tractor is also used alongside
the garbage truck to collect garbage.
Fortunately, the main garbage truck is said to have been taken for maintenance
and was not parked at the premises on the night of the arson attack. Despite
that the vehicles were parked about 50 metres away from the Pigg’s Peak
correctional facility, the arsonists are said to have carried out the attack
with ease, unconcerned about the nearby presence of warders. The dumpsite is
also situated away from the town area, and partly surrounded by a forest. It is
alleged the arsonists may have fled into the nearby forest.
Targeted
The arsonists targeted heavy plant machinery; two truck loader backhoes (TLBs)
and a tractor. One of the TLBs is a 2022 John Deere model, the other is a CAT
2005 model and the tractor is a New Holland 2005 model. It was gathered that
when the arsonists arrived, they shouted out for the security guard. Assuming
that these were people who genuinely needed assistance, one of the security
guards is said to have approached them but it turned out that they had arrived
to set the place on fire. An employee at the town council said there were two
security guards. He said as the attackers were approaching the premises where
the vehicles were parked, another tried to access the area by jumping over the
fence. One of the security guards is said to have tried to fight back by
punching one of the men who tried to jump over the fence but failed.
Hacked
At the same time, another is said to have targeted the other security guard, who
was hacked on the head and was left for dead. After the incident, the men
quickly continued towards the shed where the vehicles were parked and used a
flammable liquid that was in a container to set the place alight. The men
targeted the large tyres of the machinery, which quickly went up in flames. The
fire quickly spread and destroyed the other machinery. The arsonists also broke
some windows of a building within the same premises.
After setting the place on fire, the men fled. It was after this time that the
injured security guard was rushed to the hospital by his colleague, who had
called for help. Chief Executive Officer of the Pigg’s Peak Town Council
Mzwandile Ndzinisa confirmed the incident. He said the matter was also reported
to the relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Housing and Urban
Development. He said they would be guided by the ministry on the way forward.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile
Vilakati confirmed the arson attack. She also stated that no one had been
arrested yet. About two weeks ago, ratepayers and some residents had a
confrontation with police officers at the civic centre after they demanded an
audience with the town council officials. They were booted out of the civic
centre and tear gas was fired after being accused of illegally being inside the
civic centre. One of the residents was injured in the process.