Durban - Staff members in eThekwini Municipality responsible for cutting grass have become the latest targets for criminals who rob them of their brush cutters at gunpoint while they out working in communities.
Dr Simphiwe Ndlovu, the head of the eThekwini Parks, Recreation and Culture (PRC) unit in the municipality, has urged communities to protect the unit’s staff.
He revealed that he had received distressing reports detailing the attacks on staff members.
The city warned that such criminal acts traumatised their staff and might make them reluctant to work in wards where they have been attacked.
The Mercury has learnt that staff at the Phoenix depot had been victims a month ago.
The PRC unit is the latest city department to face a threat from criminals. The municipality is spending millions on security to escort some of their staff from departments like water or electricity when they carry out their duties, as they have also fallen victim to criminals.
There are areas, the water unit revealed to The Mercury, where it no longer attends to faults at night because of the attacks on staff. They are hijacked or robbed of their equipment.
Ndlovu, who was appointed to the post about five months ago, addressed the issue while speaking in a podcast called “eThekwini Matters”, which was posted on the city’s Facebook page.
He was speaking about the start of the new grass cutting and vegetation maintenance season.
“I have been receiving reports that are very disturbing. Some of our staff members get attacked when they are cutting the grass and (criminals) take the machine,” Ndlovu said.
“I really hope and pray that the public can work with us to say these machines (brush cutters) are there to help us to clean our environment.”
Municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela, who was the host of the podcast, said they had received reports that some of the staff in the unit had been robbed at gunpoint.
“It’s very disturbing. Clearly our communities need to assist us and make sure they protect our employees when they are out there.”
Ndlovu said staff were left traumatised by such incidents.
“Imagine you are cutting grass at a particular ward and someone comes, points a gun (at you), takes the (brush cutter) machine.
“What would motivate you to go back there? You are scared, you are traumatised.
“That is why I am saying we need to partner with the community to say this is your equipment. If someone walks into your house with the machine (stolen brush cutter), what do you say? This season alone I have had to buy so many machines to replace (the stolen ones).”
IFP leader Mdu Nkosi said the attack on the PRC staff was not isolated and showed that the country was being overwhelmed by crime.
“Other departments will tell you that they have also been victims. The municipality end up spending a lot of money on security to protect the workers or give them trauma counselling after they have been attacked,” said Nkosi.
DA councillor Remona Mckenzie, who sits on the community services committee, said they were informed during an oversight visit to the Phoenix area that staff members had been robbed of their brush cutters at gunpoint.
She said the staff had been left traumatised. She said crime was out of control as other departments and contractors were also getting attacked.