More Trucks Set on Fire in Gauteng and Mpumalanga Sparking Calls for Police Escort From Industry Role Players

• The arson attacks against trucks in South Africa have continued, with another incident reported in Gauteng
• The attacks have spread across the country, with Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga among the provinces targeted
• Role players in the transport and logistic sectors have called for police escorts and interventions to protect truck drivers

JOHANNESBURG - Trucks in South Africa are under siege, and there seems to be no end in sight after more trucks were set on fire in Gauteng and Mpumalanga.

A truck was torched on the R59 route in Gauteng, and another three were set alight in Mpumalanga. At least 20 trucks have been set on fire in the last four days.

Five trucks were torched in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo on Monday, 10 July. 11 were set alight over the weekend, six in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday, 8 July and five in Mpumalanga on Sunday evening, 9 July, News24 reported.

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3 More trucks set on fire in Limpopo, President Cyril Ramaphosa says its economic sabotage

Transport and logistics role players call for protection for truck drivers

The recent spate of arson attacks has sparked calls for protection from actors in the transport and logistics sector.

The South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union (SATAWU) has promised to write to Police Minister Bheki Cele to request a police escort for truck drivers, SABC News reported.

SATAWU spokesperson Amanda Tshemese said that the organisation was worried for the safety of its members.

“It can’t be that after so many years, the motive behind this criminality is still unknown by the government and the employer. That’s just unacceptable. The attacks toward the truck drivers are nothing new."

Arson attacks against trucks have Mzansi on edge

Below are some comments:

@Iam_Fortune627 speculated:

"I think these are the people who are going to benefit from the refurbishment of the rail system, and obviously, politicians ar einvolved."

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Mpumalanga police investigate malicious truck burnings on N4, SA citizens stunned

@LindequeEddie1 demanded:

"Come on @SAPoliceService, do something about this, as you apparently know who is behind this."

@renold_webster claimed:

"The police have no clue what is going on, it's embarrassing."

@rufy_onye said:

"A food crisis is looming."

@Lions_whiskers asked:

"Seems to me like a coordinated set of attacks. The question is, to what end?"

@MsKeabe added:

"Something big is happening here."

3 more trucks set on fire in Limpopo, President Cyril Ramaphosa says it’s economic sabotage

In a related story, Briefly News reported that the burning of trucks seems to be spreading from province to province.

This time around, three more trucks were set on fire in Limpopo along the R574 road between Lydenburg and Sekhukhune.

According to SABC News, truck drivers were reportedly stopped by six gunmen who ordered them to disembark their vehicles.

Source: Briefly News