PIGG’S PEAK TOWN COUNCIL SUFFERS E3.6M LOSS IN ARSON

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.

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