Municipal officials on duty robbed

A municipal water distribution supervisor and an armed security official were robbed in separate incidents linked to the same suspects 15 minutes apart in KwaDwesi on Monday.

This comes two weeks after municipal workers said they were under siege and pleaded with residents to stop attacking them while they try to fix electrical faults and water leaks.

In the second incident, the Nelson Mandela Bay municipal security official was robbed of his firearm at about midday.

Just 15 minutes earlier, a water distribution supervisor was robbed two streets away.

The first incident happened when two men stopped the employee driving in Pendlagard Street, KwaDwesi.

Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge said the supervisor was doing routine checks on water pipes when two men jumped in front of the municipal van and waved him down.

When he stopped, they threatened him with a firearm and demanded his weapon.

“The official said that he did not have a weapon,” Beetge said.

“The suspects forced him out of the vehicle and searched him, stealing his wallet and cellphones before fleeing on foot.”

Fifteen minutes later, the security official who was patrolling Shope Street – two streets away from Pendlagard Street – was robbed by what is believed to be the same men.

“He was also driving a branded municipal vehicle when the men stood in the middle of the road and pointed a firearm at him,” Beetge said.

“They ordered the driver to stop and forced him out of the vehicle at gunpoint.

“They then stole his state firearm as well as his wallet.” The two fled on foot. Two weeks ago, safety and security executive director, advocate Keith Meyer, said security officials had been assigned to escort workers following a series of incidents where staff had been attacked or robbed.

Meyer said in some incidents, attackers used firearms or knives and threatened to kill the workers.

Beetge said it was believed both incidents involved the same suspects.

“Detectives are hoping to arrest the culprits soon,” he said.

‘The suspects forced him out of the vehicle and searched him, stealing his wallet and cellphones before fleeing on foot’ Andre Beetge

POLICE SPOKESPERSON