Silence hangs on the telephone line as Sifiso Mokoena recalls how he escaped death during an attack that claimed the lives of his cousin and a colleague.
Mokoena, his cousin Moqadi Mokoena and colleague Elvis Motaung, were attacked by 'izinyoka', as cable thieves are known as, while on duty at Verref power substation in Vereeniging on May 14.
“It's a tough industry to work in. I earn R4,500 a month to put my life on the line for property that belongs to other people,” Mokoena said.
He told of how he scaled over a 2-metre high fence and fire his way out of an ambush.
“We were asked to cover the site because we were a reaction team. I got a call from my girlfriend and while I was on the call, two men in blankets saw me and opened fire on me. I ran behind the guard house and I returned fire. I saw Motaung running out of the vehicle as he wanted to take cover, but I saw him falling down as the gun battle continued.”
Mokoena said only he and Motaung were armed.
“I scaled the fence around the substation and jumped inside, then I heard a lot of men around me shouting ‘rea mo bona, mothibeng’ (we can see him, stop him). I then decided to charge at them and opened fire until I ran through a veld to seek help.”
Mokoena said he returned later with his supervisor and they found the lifeless bodies of his colleagues.
He said he was recruited into the industry by Moqadi.
“He brought me in and to see him being killed in front of my eyes is something I will never forget. We face these dangers every day. You don't know if you’ll return home when you leave for duty. It's scary but I need to put food on my table.”
Mokoena said it seemed syndicates who operated in illegal mining had shifted their focus to public infrastructure. He pays R750 for rent and takes care of his mother and three-year-old child. He works 12-hour shifts.
Mokoena’s supervisor Thomas Netshivhodza said their officers faced constant danger as thieves were heavily armed and uncompromising in their bid to get their hands on the infrastructure, mainly power cables and accessories.
He said security guards have been hired to protect six substations and hundreds of kilometres worth of copper cable networks which criss-cross Emfuleni municipality in the Vaal.
“Sometimes you ask yourself if it's worth your life to protect this property. But you have to if you want to make a living,”Mokoena said.
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