JUST IN | Electricity, water outages as arsonists target BCM infrastructure

Water and electricity supply to parts of the Buffalo City Metro (BCM) have been interrupted after water pumps were destroyed and transformers set alight.

Metro spokesman Samkelo Ngwenya confirmed on Saturday morning that water pumps and electricity boxes were damaged in the King William’s Town area while a sub-station was set alight in the Quigney late on Friday.

He said there have also been unconfirmed reports of water interruptions around the East London area, including Mdantsane.

The municipality was working to restore water and electricity to affected areas.

The learners licence centre at the Braelyn traffic department was also torched at around 11pm on Friday night. “A case has been registered with the SAPS.”Service delivery has been negatively affected in the metro after Samwu workers downed tools on Tuesday afternoon when a negotiation over overtime payments and salaries disputes.

It is not yet known if the damage to water and electricity infrastructure is as a result of the strike, but Ngwenya said the metro’s law enforcement unit is on high alert.