There has been speculation that the latest bout of torching of trucks was a deliberate effort to coincide with the annual Southern African Transport Conference to embarrass the government and highlight xenophobic complaints by SA drivers against the hiring of foreign nationals.

KwaZulu-Natal authorities and law enforcement agencies were on high alert on Tuesday -- the second anniversary of the July 2021 unrest -- after more than 16 trucks were torched in KZN, Mpumalanga and Limpopo in the past few days.

Eight trucks were set alight in KZN -- six on the Van Reenen's Pass section of the N3 and two on the N2 near Empangeni on the KZN north coast. Three trucks were burnt in Limpopo in Sekhukhune district and five were torched in Mpumalanga.

The incidents are a huge embarrassment for the government, which is hosting the 41st annual Southern African Transport Conference (SATC 2023), which is under way in Pretoria and was opened by Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga.

After the gradual deterioration of South Africa's rail system, it is estimated that between 80% and 90% of import and export goods are transported by trucks on the country's highways and any disruption puts further strain on the economy. Hence, government leaders, including Chikunga, referred to the latest torchings as "economic sabotage and acts of criminality".

The incidents have further weakened the trust of stakeholders in the government and its law enforcement agencies to deal with the escalating problems...