REWARD OFFERED FOR INFO ON FIRE
VIOLENT protesters attacked the police and firefighters with stones when they tried to stop them from setting alight government offices in Mayville early yesterday morning.
Protesters from the nearby Cato Manor area set alight park home offices used by the KwaZulu-Natal Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Department in Buro Crescent.
Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said the incident occurred around midnight when Cato Crest and Cato Manor residents embarked on protest action, blockading King Cetshwayo (Jan Smuts) Highway and Vusi Mzimela (Bellair) Road with burning tyres, logs and stones.
“When the firefighters were busy trying to extinguish the fire, they were attacked with stones. They also threw stones at the police officers.
“None of the officers or firefighters was injured,” Gwala said.
A case of arson is being investigated by the Mayville SAPS.
Cogta MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube expressed shock at the protesters’ actions. She said a reward of R100000 was being offered for information leading to the arrest of individuals responsible for the torching of the offices, which were used by Cogta officials and for traditional leadership support.
The damage, she said, was in excess of R17million.
“The figure does not include valuable files and critical documents.
“Such wanton destruction of government property cannot go unpunished. We will see to it that the perpetrators are brought to book,” said Dube-Ncube.
A petrol bomb was also thrown at the offices on Tuesday, but caused minimal damage.
“We condemn this direct sabotage of the state infrastructure in the strongest terms. The destruction of government property will ultimately have dire consequences for innocent residents who rely on government services. We are calling upon law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of the perpetrators of this deed.
“The perpetrators of this vandalism should be made an example of in order to deter others from destroying state property in future,” said Dube-Ncube.