Media statement
Ald Grandi Theunissen
MMC for Community Safety
As the MMC for Community Safety, I would like to condemn in the strongest of terms what must now be called organised crime taking place in Tshwane. It is clear that we are no longer dealing with an illegal strike action, but with a well-coordinated criminal attack against the City.
What started as sporadic acts of violence linked to the illegal strike action has now escalated into what the coalition government believes is organised violence aimed at destabilising Tshwane by attacking the City, its property and its employees.
Today, a City of Tshwane bakkie, water truck, three water and sanitation trucks and an A Re Yeng bus were damaged in various violent incidents in the Pretoria CBD. Four of these vehicles were subsequently torched. At least one City employee was violently assaulted during one of these incidents and taken to hospital in a serious condition.
I once again want to make it abundantly clear that these actions are downright criminal and completely unacceptable. We have also moved far beyond any point where there could have been some sort of negotiation. What we need now is decisive police intervention and action to identify, trace, arrest and prosecute the culprits who have put City property, service delivery for our residents and the lives of the City’s employees at risk.
The Executive Mayor has therefore asked the City Manager and acting Chief Police of the Tshwane Metro Police Department to urgently engage higher spheres of government, specifically within the security cluster, to intensify their efforts to investigate these matters and make the necessary arrests. These criminals should face the full might of the law.
On behalf of the City, I would like to apologise to our residents who have been left without services due to these criminal acts. Be assured that we are doing everything in our power to fight for you and restore law and order.
Enquiries: Ald Grandi Theunissen (grandit@tshwane.gov.za)