It is just a week after an Absa Bank ATM was bombed by unknown criminals at the Tshakhuma Spar. Now, another ATM, this time a Nedbank ATM, was bombed at the Njakanjaka Build-It store.

"Bringing ATMs to remote rural areas like Njakanjaka was a relief for community members who had to travel long distances in order for them to access banking services. Now criminals are bombing them. People who are doing this deserve to be put behind bars where they belong," said one of Njakanjaka´s residents, Mr Elvis Baloyi.

He said that it was very embarrassing to see that, at the same time that banks were trying to bring development to the remote areas, "some stupid criminals are destroying them".

According to the spokesperson for the Waterval police, WO Kedibone Mabatha, the ATM was bombed last Tuesday. "The perpetrators cut the fence to get inside the the yard. They tied up the security guard with a rope before bombing the ATM."

Mabatha said no money which was taken from the ATM, because the police were called immediately when people heard the sound of the bombing.

A case of malicious damage to property using explosives has been opened with the police, while the investigation still continues.

No one has been arrested yet and the suspects are still at large. An amount of R70 000 was recovered in the ATM.