Cape Town – Two men, aged 27 and 29, have reportedly been arrested in Mpumalanga for allegedly setting trucks on fire.
One of the arrested individuals is believed to be the same person captured on dashcam footage committing the arson.
A video that emerged on social media shows the suspect ordering the driver to exit the vehicle before driving it a short distance and setting it ablaze.
The first suspect was apprehended on a farm in Piet Retief with the help of a private security firm, while the second suspect was arrested in Ermelo News24 quoted National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe as saying.
These arrests come in response to a series of nine truck burnings in Mpumalanga Sunday.
#TruckAttacks pic.twitter.com/7K5i8GveKp
— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) July 12, 2023
According to Sowetan Times, the private security company’s operations manager Bester Maree said they caught one of the men in the early hours of Thursday following an intelligence-driven operation and handed him over to cops at around about 3am.
The man has been charged with malicious damage to property, the report said.
Nationwide, 21 trucks have been attacked since July 9, with the majority of incidents occurring in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
The Police Minister, Bheki Cele, stated that the attacks appeared to be coordinated and organized, potentially related to business interests.
In Limpopo, investigations pointed to a labor dispute and service delivery issues as the motive behind the truck burnings.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
