Suspected syndicate behind attacks on workers, says Eastern Cape transport department

The Eastern Cape Department of Transport suspects that a syndicate is targeting contractors fixing roads and taking their equipment to

Rosetta Msimango/CityPress

A syndicate appears to be targeting workers and equipment,the Eastern Cape Department of Transport has said.This comes after workers were shot at while en route to Komani.The latest attack is the third in just over a month.Following a series of attacks on contractors fixing roads,the Eastern Cape Department of Transport suspects that a syndicate is targeting workers and taking their equipment.

“There seems to be a syndicate targeting the department’s yellow fleet used by our in-house teams to maintain and repair mainly rural roads,” spokesperson Unathi Binqose said.

He added that the attacks were “making it difficult for the Eastern Cape Department of Transport to execute its mandate”.

“The most recent of these attacks occurred on the R61,where our team of road workers had to run for their lives as gunshots were fired at the crane truck they were travelling in. The team was driving to Komani after attending to some potholes on the R408 between Engcobo and Dutywa.”

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The team was forced to abandon the truck,which was damaged when a bullet hit one of its engine components,and flee to a nearby village.

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The vehicle was later towed to the Cofimvaba police station.

“This is the third attempted hijack of the yellow fleet in just over a month,” he added.

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Earlier this week,a tipper truck was stolen.

It was later recovered in Elliotdale in the Amathole district.

News24 previously reported that a group of armed men robbed provincial transport department construction workers last month. The workers had been sent to repair a flood-damaged road in Cala in the Chris Hani district of the Eastern Cape.

Transport MEC Xolile Nqatha said a bakkie driven by a group of armed balaclava-clad men approached the workers while they were working at a quarry.

The men tied them up,demanded keys to their bakkie,and removed several tyres from their tipper truck.

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They loaded them onto the stolen bakkie,and both bakkies sped off,leaving the crew stranded but unharmed,Nqatha added.

The incident occurred days after Gift of the Givers Foundation aid workers were intimidated while providing essential aid to flood victims in Mthatha.

According to the OR Tambo District Municipality,the workers were threatened by people who demanded that they stop supporting hundreds of residents displaced by recent flooding in the province.