Bheki Cele Says Truck Arson Attacks Are Organised, Sophisticated Operations, Mzansi Still Waiting for Arrest

• Police Minister Bheki Cele believes the recent truck arson attacks are organised and coordinated, suggesting sabotage against the state
• President Cyril Ramaphosa directs law enforcement agencies to find and apprehend the culprits
• South Africans have little faith the government will catch the people behind the arson attacks

JOHANNESBURG - Police Minister Bheki Cele seems to believe sinister forces are behind the recent truck arson attacks in several parts of the country.

Cele made these remarks speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, 12 July, on the security cluster's progress in finding the culprits behind the truck arson.

Bheki Cele says the arson attacks are organised

The police minister stated that based on the intelligence report, the truck attacks are “organised, coordinated and sophisticated operations”.

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Cele added that the attacks point to sabotage to undermine the state, reports TimesLIVE. In the last four days, over 20 trucks have been set on fire in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga.

Cele added that there was no evidence the truck attacks are linked to the 2021 July unrest.

The minister said they had identified 12 persons of interest who might be tied to the arson attacks.

Crime analyst says crime syndicates are most likely behind truck arson attacks

Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, crime analyst from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Lizette Lancaster, agrees with the police minister that the truck arson attacks are organised and sophisticated operations.

She explained that the attacks are designed to cause maximum destruction. Although the motive is unknown, Lancaster speculates the syndicates might be trying to expand their own operations.

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"The incidents seem to be perpetrated with the intention to cause maximum disruption. The motives remain unclear, but based on the modus operandi, these groups may have links to various networks seeking to expand their operations in the freight and/or mining industry," said Lancaster.

To stop these criminal elements, Lancaster suggests that the partnership between the police, state security and the private sector needs to be strengthened.

She explains that the private security associations have previously stated that they shared information with the security cluster but not much has been done to catch perpetrators.

Lancaster added that these crimes have been happening in the same hotspots for the past five years, and the security cluster should be able to embed itself in these areas to prevent truck attacks.

While some attacks have been prevented in Gauteng, Lancaster says the government can only claim success after the syndicates have been dismantled and the kingpins are convicted.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa issues a stern warning to arson truck attackers

In response to the arson attacks, President Cyril Ramaphosa says he has directed law enforcement agencies to go after the people behind the truck arson attacks.

Ramaphosa stated that the government would not allow a group of people to sabotage the economy, reports IOL. The president indicated that such people have no place in society.

“I have directed the police, supported by other security agencies, to spare nothing but to do all they have to do to find these people because South Africa cannot have people like that who do as they wish, kill people, burn trucks and block our trucks on our highways," said Ramaphosa.

South Africans react to the government's response to the arson attacks

@tmmoila12 said:

"They must be brought to the book of lamentations."

@Andyklaas1 said:

"Saps sitting around in air-conditioned offices eating amagwinya..."

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2 People arrested in connection to the truck arson attacks in Mpumalanga, South Africans want to see suspects

@misumuzi_4 said:

"It is always very difficult to catch criminals who are busy investigating themselves."

@AnneLeonardPta said:

"Economic terrorism - transport mafia..."

@Ronald35168897 said:

"No one is questioning the fact that the unrest of 2021 had 12 instigators. Now 12 suspects. ANC memo to ANC members when we cannot do anything, just create the impression that we are doing something."

Truck arsonist’s face revealed in viral dashcam footage of hijacking and attack on Mpumalanga N2 route

Briefly News previously reported that one of the men participating in the recent attacks on trucks has been unmasked.

A shocking dashcam video captured the man hijacking and setting a truck on fire on the N2 between Piet Retief and Ermelo on Wednesday morning, 12 July.

In the video posted on Twitter by Arrive Alive, the truck driver stops and speaks to the man on the side of the road before being forced out of the vehicle.

Source: Briefly News