KZN transport dept officials robbed by ‘criminals who are enemies of service delivery’

KZN transport officials were robbed at gunpoint on the P100 road in uMzinyathi on Tuesday.

• The Department of Transport in KwaZulu-Natal says criminals who target state employees are working against service delivery.
• This comes as several officials fell victim to crime in uMzinyathi in the eThekwini metro.
• Staff were held at gunpoint on Tuesday, according to the department.

An attack on state employees is an act against service delivery, the KwaZulu-Natal transport and safety department said this week after officials were robbed at gunpoint on the P100 road in uMzinyathi on Tuesday.

“[Department] staff members were held at gunpoint, and their lives were threatened by criminals, who are enemies of service delivery,” department spokesperson Kwanele Ncalane said.

“This is the second incident to happen in a few weeks as some of the staff members, on the same road, were victimised by criminals, who took away the brush cutters. This equipment is essential in maintaining road infrastructure projects.”

The department added that attacks on officials had reached an alarming rate and said the situation threatened service delivery.

Previously, officials were hijacked in uMzinyathi in the eThekwini Metro.

Ncalane added:

The department has since engaged with law enforcement officials to pay closer attention to the levels of crime on the P100 and other roads, he said.

Head of the transport department Siboniso Mbhele called on community structures, including ward committees, izinduna, councillors and amakhosi to work together to protect staff members and their equipment.

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“We urge communities to stand up and expose the criminals who are targeting departmental property and staff members. This is impacting negatively on service delivery and we need to work with all stakeholders to protect our employees.”

He said that if staff worked in fear “this will delay service delivery”.

“We are however concerned that there seems to be a well-orchestrated syndicate operating on this road and we appeal to law enforcement to investigate and arrest the perpetrators. Whilst there are no lives lost in two incidents, we would however wish to see these criminals arrested sooner than later.”