Durban - The Department of Water and Sanitation has called on law enforcement agencies to apprehend the criminals responsible for the kidnapping and hijacking of two engineers contracted by the Mhlathuze Water Board last week.
The engineers were working to restore water infrastructure in the Mntikini community in the uMkhanyakude District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.
Mhlathuze Water reported the engineers from Ziyanda Consulting were conducting a site inspection of a water storage tank and a pump station when they were accosted by armed men.
They were hijacked and held hostage for nearly six hours in a forest. The engineers were also robbed of some of their laptops and bank cards.
The department said Mhlathuze Water was appointed by Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu as an implementing agent in February 2022 to take over the management, operations and maintenance of the water and sanitation infrastructure in uMkhanyakude District Municipality.
Department spokesperson Wisane Mavasa condemned the incident and called on members of the community to work with law enforcement agencies to trace and apprehend the suspects.
“The department condemns in the strongest terms this criminal incident that involved the hijacking of engineers while on duty. This act of crime not only affects the workers, but it also negatively affects the community of Mntinkini because the water restoration project they were supposed to benefit from will be delayed due to safety measures being needed,” said Mavasa.
Mavasa also called on members of the community to own and protect water infrastructures in their area and report incidents of vandalism to the authorities.
“We appeal to the residents to protect water infrastructures in their communities because any act of theft or vandalism of an infrastructure disrupts optimal service delivery of water and sanitation to communities.
“To restore damaged infrastructure takes a long time, and this equally affects the provision of services to the affected communities,” said Mavasa.