News24 reports that the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs department has called for heightened protection for essential services workers, after an Eskom employee was hijacked and abducted while responding to an electricity fault on Saturday.

The incident took place on Saturday in the Dlangubo area, outside Empangeni. Cogta MEC, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, condemned the incident saying that as a province, they have noted an increase in attacks targeting essential services personnel. Buthelezi said the employee was severely traumatised after he was hijacked and held for eight hours while the vehicle was stripped of its parts. "These acts of violence against essential workers, who are dedicated to serving our communities, are unacceptable and undermine our efforts to ensure reliable access to basic services like electricity and water," Buthelezi lamented. He added that these attacks not only endangered the lives of service personnel, but also created an environment of fear that hindered their ability to carry out their duties effectively. Buthelezi appealed to residents across KZN to play an active role in protecting service providers.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sakhiseni Nxumalo at News24 (subscription or trial registration required)
• Read too, Eskom worker ‘kidnapped’ during 8-hour ordeal in KZN, vehicle stripped, at TimesLIVE

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