Isipingo residents left traumatised after armed gunmen jump water filling line, and relocate the water tanker elsewhere

Isipingo residents left traumatised after armed gunmen jump water filling line and relocate the water tanker elsewhere. File Picture: Bongani Mbatha/African News Agency (ANA)

Isipingo residents left traumatised after armed gunmen jump water filling line and relocate the water tanker elsewhere. File Picture: Bongani Mbatha/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Apr 25, 2022

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Durban - Isipingo residents were left trembling by a gang of armed suspects who jumped the water tanker filling line, filled their 1 000 litre skips and forced the driver to provide water elsewhere in the area.

Isipingo community policing forum chairperson Aidan David, said it was not a hijacking of the water tanker but a daring move to relocate it to provide water to another area.

David said the truck went to Isipingo and then a group of armed men from another part of Isipingo, unknown to them, stopped the people from taking the water and started filling their own skips.

“When they finished filling their 1 000 skips, then they told the truck to ‘follow us, because we’re going to give water to someone else’,” David said.

“So it wasn’t really a hijacking, it was a relocation of the water tanker.”

“They did it forcefully. It wasn’t good at all because it affected the community mentally. People felt that their lives were at risk now because of what had happened,” continued David.

He said Isipingo has not had water since the floods hit the province two weeks ago.

“There has been no water at all and it has now gone to 14 days,” he said.

David was speaking to the Daily News while at the municipal offices waiting for a water tanker which was supposed to be there waiting for him.

He added that they had electricity restored about four days ago, after about 10 days of no lights.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said: “Isipingo SAPS bears no knowledge of the incident.”

Daily News