Power outages in Ziniaville and Karlien Park in Rustenburg, which were mainly caused by illegal electricity connections in an adjacent settlement, have caused riots to flare up in the area.
In January 2020, the FF Plus requested that action must be taken against offenders and that preventative measures must be implemented.
On 3 June 2020, the Municipality finally took action and started to disconnect the illegal connections. The police and defence force assisted the Municipality and offered protection while the work was being carried out.
The community later became unruly and at around five o'clock in the afternoon, things started to get out of hand as rioters invaded the surrounding residential areas and started to throw stones at houses.
Substations were torched and Eskom property was destroyed. A member of the Municipality's division for public safety was injured and a local councillor and his family had to be brought to safety.
This is just one incident of the many that transpired recently in which law-abiding Rustenburg residents are harassed by the lawless actions of criminal elements in the community.
Frequent incidences that range from the illegal occupation of houses to the extensive vandalization of property and infrastructure paint a picture of a once prosperous community that is now under siege.
We can no longer allow criminal elements in the community to hold Rustenburg residents hostage.
So, the FF Plus is once again calling on government to urgently intervene and ensure that law and order is re-established. Urgent steps are needed to prevent this central economic hub of the North West from going to ruins.
Contact details: 076 819 0648
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