Waste truck belonging to the struggling Bushbuckridge Local Municipality was torched at Mhala Testing Station in Thulamahashe on Monday, 26 April at about 3 am.
This follows a series of riot protest by nearby Kumani residents who have been seen scuffled with the police over service delivery in the past couple of weeks.
They are demanding a bridge at the deadly Mutlumuvi River, which cuts Thulamahashe and Kumani.
So far the violence has landed a handful of protesters behind bars and facing charges of causing public violence and malicious damage to property.
The angry villagers stormed Thulamahashe and shut down shopping malls, schools and government offices. They also destroyed sign boards, traffic lights, municipality fence and stormwater drains.
The villagers also barricaded roads with burnt tyres and other objects and also lit the municipality skip bins.
Shocked Bushbuckridge Municipality acting spokesman Claiton Khosa said: “It has come to the attention of the municipality that indeed a refuse truck has been torched.
The municipality will register a case with the police for further investigations. We condemn the torching of municipal property, government and private sector.
We are still appealing to the communities to be patient with the relevant department in this regard.”
Mpumalanga police spokesman Colonel Donald Mdhluli said police are probing a case of malicious damage to property after a truck belonging to the Bushbuckridge Municipality was torched at Mhala Testing Station in Thulamahashe in the early hours of Monday morning.
“According to the information, the security guard was doing his routine patrol at about 3am when he found the waste truck torched. The value of the damage is estimated at R3 million,” said Mdhluli.
Anyone with information which could lead to the arrest of the suspects can contact Mhala police on 013 773 0331 or Captain Alfred Mashele on 072 624 5133 or Crime Stop number 08600 10111 or send information to MYSAPSAPP.
-daily sun
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