KZN crime scene expert recalls 'panga and pipe assault' while protecting substation

A KwaZulu-Natal forensic crime scene expert has recalled his hellish assault at the hands of panga-wielding assailants while trying to protect an electrical substation in Northdale, Pietermaritzburg, two weeks ago. 

Cameron Marion, who works at the Pietermaritzburg local criminal record centre as a forensic crime scene expert, spoke to TimesLIVE after an attack which saw him spend three nights in hospital with injuries to his skull and face. 

Marion had taken it upon himself to safeguard a substation from residents of the Nkululeko informal settlement who were aggrieved after power was cut off to northern suburbs in the city after a storm on December 15.

“It was Thursday evening just after 8pm. I got a message from our neighbourhood chat which basically said there were guys ambushing the substation here in front of our house. I got my firearm and went to assist,” he said.

“When I got down there, the guys had pangas and pipes and were hitting the box. So I took out my service pistol and told them to put the pangas and pipes down because they were damaging municipal property, which wasn't right.”

Marion said about 12 people surrounded him and began asking who he was.

“One guy said, 'Who are you?' and he came towards me with a panga. I fired a warning shot. He still came towards me and I fired a second warning shot. I was alone down there and the next thing they all crowded me.

“They grabbed me, put me down on the ground and started to beat me with poles and pipes.”

During the scuffle someone got hold of his firearm. “He took my firearm and started firing shots. They carried on beating me against a palisade and then they dragged me on to the tar. I managed to get up and two of my neighbours came and helped me and took me into a yard to assist in getting away from the mob.

“Mountain Rise police eventually came with an ambulance and managed to rush me to hospital.”

He sustained injuries to his face and head and was discharged from hospital on December 20.

“I have a minor fracture to the skull that is healing and I'm in a lot of pain.”

He called for peace, tranquillity and justice to be served.

“I want people to live together harmoniously with no bickering because we're one community. This was not a racial attack. I am not a racist, because a lot of people make this a racial thing when it is not. It was a learning experience for me because I went out there to assist the community but I was left alone when we were all meant to be together.

“I did this for the community because we suffered for eight days without lights and we were going to be put back into that situation.”

Police spokesperson Col Thembeka Mbele said a case of attempted murder was opened at Mountain Rise SAPS for investigation.

Christmas in the dark

According to Pearl Pillay of the Msunduzi Association of Residents, Ratepayer and Civics (MARRC), thousands of people were left in the dark for 11 days between December 15 and 27. 

“From what we're told the storm caused the issue because there was a fire at the substation and that caused the whole of the northern area to have a blackout. In my ward, ward 28, which was one of six wards affected, there are about 21,000 residents. So that shows you how many people were affected by the blackout.”

Pillay said many families spent their Christmas in the dark.

“We were just trying to get by with generators and gas stoves and even that was a mission because the queues for gas were so long. The residents had to rally around and make the most of a horrific situation.”

She said the situation had not been completely resolved as their electricity supply was intermittent and the Msunduzi municipality had given out claim forms to affected residents who may have had food spoilt or appliances damaged during the blackout.

“Everyone used their money to buy extra food for Christmas and all of that spoiled. We can fill a claim form but whether we get the money back, that's something else.” 

Msunduzi responds

On December 23 Msunduzi mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla held a briefing into the damage caused by the storm. 

He highlighted that of the 11 feeders damaged, power had been restored to only four, while the restoration plan for the remaining seven were to be announced. 

TimesLIVE