Outrage in Zinniaville Informal Settlement as Municipal Car Torched and Workers Injured

A routine City at Work programme by the Rustenburg Local Municipality turned violent today in the Zinniaville Informal Settlement, where three municipal workers were injured and a municipal vehicle was set alight by enraged residents.

The incident unfolded after municipal teams, accompanied by law enforcement, disconnected two transformers believed to be illegally connected and seized several unauthorized electricity cables. The operation, part of the city’s ongoing bylaw enforcement drive, was aimed at curbing illegal electricity connections.

What was intended as a routine enforcement action quickly escalated into chaos. Residents reacted angrily, pelting municipal workers with stones and blocking entrances to the settlement with burning tyres. The unrest resulted in the torching of a municipal car and left three workers requiring medical attention.

Speaking to Naledi News, some community members expressed frustration, claiming they were not notified about the disconnection and vowing to resist future attempts. “We were not given any warning. They can’t just come and disconnect electricity like that. We won’t allow it,” said one resident.

Municipal spokesperson Odirile Madiba defended the city’s actions, stating that “compliance is not an option but a legal requirement.” She added that the municipality will not tolerate illegal electricity connections and vowed that the City at Work programme will continue despite resistance.

“The safety of our officials is a concern, but the municipality is committed to restoring order and ensuring infrastructure is used lawfully,” Madiba said.