The ANC Caucus in Ekurhuleni is extremely disappointed and shocked by the community members’ attack and murder of four (4) of the independent electrical contractors employed by the municipality of Ekurhuleni to fix electricity at Crywagen Park in Ekurhuleni on Monday, 06 March 2023.
The technicians were deployed in Crywagen Park and Graceland to reconnect electricity after it went off on Sunday midday, in Ward 42. After the electricity cut, the matter was reported to the municipality for intervention.
On Monday afternoon, technicians were sent out to fix electricity in the affected areas, however, they were met with angry community members who suspected them to be the cable thieves, and as a result, they were attacked, beaten up and unfortunately, four (4) of the technicians succumbed to death.
It’s now been day-5 without electricity in the affected areas. We appeal to members of the community to allow the technicians to come into the areas and fix the electricity, and furthermore call upon the municipality to act swiftly in restoring power to the Crywagen Area, working along with EMPD.
As the ANC Caucus in Ekurhuleni, we are highly concerned about mob behaviour which has resulted to the four fatalities. We condemn in the strongest term such behaviour and we plead with the law-enforcement agencies to act accordingly and bring the alleged perpetrators to book.
Indeed, both Eskom and Municipalities lose millions of rands through cable theft syndicates, however, mob justice must never be encouraged to substitute the rule of law. We are utterly distraught by such unlawful behaviour, and we plead with our communities to refrain from such acts as they are likely to affect the innocent as it has been the case with the four victims who succumbed to mob justice after they were mistaken to be the electric cable thieves.
In fighting crime as communities, we encourage residents to establish street committees and must always forge a well-organised collaborative approach with those in authority so as to undermine any act of criminality.
We wish to extend our heartfelt and sincere condolences to the families of the four deceased technicians. May the families find strength in this difficult moment for their loved ones perished in the line duty.
By ANC Ekurhuleni Caucus
