A man allegedly involved in setting fire to trucks, has been caught by a private security firm.

The man is associated with the recent truck arson attacks on the N2 between Piet Retief and Ermelo in Mpumalanga.

The security agency, contracted by one of the trucking companies whose vehicles were burnt, conducted an operation that led to the arrest of the suspect just outside Piet Retief in the early hours of Thursday.

The man has been charged with malicious damage to property and was handed over to the police, BusinessLive reported.

These attacks are part of a series of coordinated incidents involving the torching of 21 trucks in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and Gauteng.

Police Minister Bheki Cele announced on Wednesday that 12 potential suspects have been identified through investigations and intelligence gathering with most of them believed to be located in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Cele described the attacks as organised, coordinated, and sophisticated operations aimed at undermining and sabotaging the state.

National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola stated that the police are analysing videos related to the incidents and will be following up on the individuals captured in the footage.

One recent video shows a driver being stopped by another person, engaging in a conversation through the window, and then exiting the vehicle. Then, an individual wearing a hoodie jumps into the driver's seat, proceeds to spray a flammable substance on the passenger bed in the cab and sets it on fire.

Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, spokesperson for the Mpumalanga police, said he wasn't aware of the arrest and requested further information regarding the development.

Compiled by staff writer