Cape Town - The City of Cape Town has condemned an attack on six city officials in Kanana informal settlement in Gugulethu last Thursday.
Lawrence Grootboom, manager of the injured officials, said that a group of about 30 service providers were on their way to service toilets when they were attacked.
He said Sanitech workers were dismissed from their jobs last Monday after three weeks of labour unrest.
About 20 former Sanitech employees and a few members of the community, armed with weapons including pangas, appeared as the team from the city arrived.
“They saw our guys coming in there and felt they were taking money out of their hands. They attacked as soon as they started servicing.”
According to Grootboom, one official narrowly escaped having his head chopped off by a panga, but lost parts of several fingers. Others sustained injuries to their shoulders, backs, and heads. One official, who had jumped into a van to flee, got his foot stuck in the door and was badly hurt. Six were taken to hospital and were discharged on Friday. A municipal vehicle and cleaning equipment was set on fire during the attack.
Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille’s spokesperson Solly Malatsi said the city was considering laying charges.
Grootboom said that when the city had told the community that workers would be servicing the area, community leaders had given the go-ahead for the plan.
The workers were in official city uniforms and clearly not working for a private company. - Cape Argus
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