News24 reports that Eskom has suspended its services in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, following an armed robbery targeting its employees who were in the area to restore electricity.

In a statement, the power utility said its staff had been held at gunpoint on Sunday afternoon. "Unfortunately, this means there will be significant delays in electricity restoration efforts, and affected customers are likely to experience prolonged outages," it said. Eskom's senior management and internal security team will meet with police and local leaders later this week to discuss the attack and measures to ensure staff safety before services resume. Due to frequent attacks on workers, Eskom employees are often escorted by armed private security, police, or metro police when carrying out their duties. The escalating violence in Makhaza comes just weeks after an ambulance was hijacked, and a group of seven men raped one of the emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. The suspects remain at large.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Velani Ludidi at News24 (subscriber access only)

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