Phalaborwa: Municipal flea market torched
Residents of Ba- Phalaborwa in Namakgale woke up to flames as the Municipality's Flea Market was torched this morning.
The Flea Market is situated next to the Naudia Filling Station on the R71.
It is suspected that the South African Municipal Workers Union members (SAMWU) could be behind the incident as their illegal strike which started last Friday is currently on-going.
The Herald visited the Flea Market this morning and found the block still in flames, but it could not estimate the exact value of the damage caused.
Namakgale and Giyani Police Stations detectives were on the site gathering possible evidence that could lead to the arrests of suspect/s.
Office furniture, roofing and a wireless radio connecting the Flea Market to the Municipality is amongst the torched public property.
The workers, mostly essential ones and office related have rendered the municipality to a shutdown. Residents have been forced to inhale the awful smell emanating from the unmaintained burst sewer pipes in town and the two townships since last Thursday.
Countless meetings between the African National Congress and its Alliance Partners (COSATU, SACP and SANCO) including SAMWU leaders did not resolve the debacle since Monday and more meetings were expected to be convened this afternoon.
There have been a couple of urgent council meetings held at the Namakgale Town Hall as municipal offices in town are still a no-go area.
