News24 reports that load shedding at the Ermelo Magistrate's Court led to the postponement of the bail applications of alleged truck arsonists in Mpumalanga.
The five accused appeared in court on Tuesday. The State alleges that the five, who are members of the All Truck Drivers Forum (ATDF), torched trucks in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo in July. At least 20 trucks were torched in that month alone. The accused face charges of attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, malicious damage to property, conspiracy to commit a crime of malicious property damage, and possessing a firearm. The five men were also accused of attempting to kill truck driver Bhongolwethu Bhongo Dayimani when they threw petrol bombs at the truck he was driving near Sheepmoor on 12 July. The ATDF, which is funding the legal representation of the accused, previously denied allegations that it instructed its members to participate in the arson attacks. Its secretary-general, Sifiso Nyathi, instead blamed the government for failing to address labour-related grievances in the cargo transport sector. The accused are now expected to make their bail applications on Wednesday.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nkosikhona Duma at News24
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