TimesLIVE reports that just hours after six trucks were set alight on the N3 in the early hours of Sunday morning in what has been described as “a co-ordinated attack on the road freight sector”, another five were torched under similar circumstances in Mpumalanga.
Provincial police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala confirmed the incident and reported: “Five trucks were set alight [on Sunday] evening at Waterval Boven. We don't know the motive for the incident. The information at our disposal is that two vehicles, a Toyota Hilux bakkie and a sedan, stopped the trucks just before the Waterval Boven tunnel and set them alight without telling the drivers the motive.” The drivers were instructed to take their personal belongings and vacate the trucks. Mohlala said no arrests had been made. On Sunday morning the N3 toll route was forced to close after six trucks were set alight on Van Reenen's Pass by unknown assailants. The drivers managed to escape unhurt. Reacting to Sunday’s incident, All Truck Drivers Forum and Allied SA’s KwaZulu-Natal secretary Gugu Sokhela said they could not confirm or deny whether any of their members were involved. “We don't know anything in terms of factionalism within our organisation. Our organisation is as united as ever. Regarding the torching of the trucks now, we cannot confirm yet whether it is our members. But [members are angry] regarding government not doing the right thing,” he said. Sokhela explained this, saying the government's failure to implement regulations reserving jobs within the industry for South Africans had left members angry and might have possibly led to the torching incident.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khanyisile Ngcobo at BusinessLive
- Read too, Five trucks set alight in Mpumalanga, at News24
- En ook, Nóg vyf trokke brand in Mpumalanga, by Maroela Media
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