3 PROBASE TRUCKS SET ALIGHT AT KANCESI

MBABANE – Just as the country begins the long journey to recovery from acts of vandalism and burning of property, three trucks belonging to Probase Eswatini (Pty) Ltd were set alight on Tuesday night.

The trucks, said to be worth E1.2 million,  were parked at the company’s construction camp at KaNcesi under Nkhaba Constituency. The company has been contracted to construct a 12.4km road from KaNcesi to Mtjopane at Eluvinjelweni under Maphalaleni Constituency. It remains unknown who burnt the trucks - a water tanker and two tipper trucks- and for what reason. In an interview, the security guard, Elias Shabangu, who is based at the construction camp –where some workers and equipment are housed - said at around 7:40pm, he heard a pop sound and noticed fire under the water tanker.  It is suspected that the person who started the fire might have thought the water tanker was a fuel tanker since the suspect first burnt it yet it was in the middle of the other trucks and they were surrounded by graders and other vehicles and equipment.

Electricity

Elias said it was dark at the site and there was no electricity at the construction camp. He stated that he did not have a flashlight in his possession and he was concentrating on the area where diesel was stored. The burnt trucks were parked a couple of metres from where he was when the fire started. According to Elias, moments after the water tanker had been set alight, he heard another pop sound and saw flames underneath one of the tipper trucks. At this point, Elias said he realised that the trucks were being burnt and he rushed to nearby homesteads and to his neighbour to raise the alarm. “I told him that ‘naku lana sekusha timoto tebelungu (my employers’ vehicles were on fire),” he said. The security guard further said he did not see anyone on the premises because it was already dark.

Elias, who also resides in the area, said his neighbour called his superiors and when he returned with his neighbour to the premises, they found residents already trying to put out the flames. He said he was certain that the fire was started by someone. “Although I did not see anyone, I can tell you that the fire did not start on its own. I did not go near because it was dark and I did not have a flashlight as I might have got hurt,” he added.  Elias said the residents, including the youth and employees - most of whom were locals - did their best to put out the fire. The Eswatini National Fire and Emergency Services personnel, according to Elias, were called and they allegedly took long to arrive. He said the residents tried to use the fire extinguishers in the trucks and they were used up before the fire could be extinguished. Tengetile Mdluli, the Clerk of the company, said they employed about 300 workers, mostly from the area, and as the project moved to other stages, they would hire more staff. She said work was suspended yesterday in light of the incident. Construction would continue on Monday.

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