A VIOLENT fight over illegal electricity connections left a Mdantsane father of two dead, and another man severely injured.
The fight broke out on Tuesday night when community members of Nkomponi informal settlement in Zone 1 demanded to connect electricity from electricity poles serving ratepayers.
Thembisile Mekuto, from the Nkomponi informal settlement, was shot and killed.
It was still not clear yesterday who fired the shot.
Mekuto’s partner and mother to his two children, Xoliswa Simayile, said she had last seen him on Tuesday night. “He came home and took a weapon saying there was a fight over electricity. A few minutes later there was a massive noise ,” said Simayile.
She was informed by community elders that Mekuto had been shot and taken to hospital.
Ratepayer Vulindlela Dumisa said: “We decided as the ratepayers that enough was enough with izinyoka because our electrical appliances were always damaged when there was an overload in the poles.”
Both sides claimed to have been attacked first in the dispute over the illegal connections.
Monwabisi Nyusile, who was rushed to Cecilia Makiwane Hospital after he was attacked by a mob of angry informal settlement residents, said he had been hit with pangas and knobkieries.
Nkomponi residents justified their illegal connections yesterday saying they were not stealing from the ratepayers but from Buffalo City Metro and Eskom.
“ All these years we have been promised that we would get electricity, but nothing happens,” said Abongile Metshane.
While Mekuto’s family was still in tears yesterday both parties denied being involved in his shooting. Last Friday the Dispatch reported on a fight that broke out in Mdantsane’s Zone 2.
BCM said it was on a campaign to stop illegal connections and an awareness campaign against the practice is scheduled to start next month.
BCM’s spokesman warned stiff penalties against perpetrators were on the cards once electricity by-laws were fully enforced.
Ward councillor from the area Landile Vika called an urgent meeting yesterday after the tragic fight. “Izinyoka are a big problem around the metro and everybody knows this . A R30-million budget has been set aside to resolve this issue,” Vika said.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Nkosikho Mzuku confirmed the incident, saying that when police arrived at the scene they found Mekuto lying shot but alive. He was rushed to Cecilia Makiwane Hospital but later died in hospital. Police have opened a case of murder and the investigation is ongoing .
Mzuku urged anyone who has information about the suspect to contact the investigating officer, Sergeant Phumelele Tile, on 078- 299-4395. —