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South Africa: Road Freight Association Boss Has 'Zero' Confidence Police Will Stop Truck Burnings
Daily Maverick, 13 July 2023
Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association, has no confidence in the capacity of the police to address the latest spate of arson attacks on trucks. Read more »
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South Africa: Private Security Nabs Suspected Truck Bomber
Scrolla, 13 July 2023
A man allegedly involved in setting fire to trucks, has been caught by a private security firm. Read more »
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South Africa: Police Have Identified 12 People Possibly Linked to Truck Attacks - Minister
SAnews.gov.za, 12 July 2023
Law enforcement is hot on the heels of 12 people possibly linked to the recent torching of trucks on national roads, says Police Minister Bheki Cele. Read more »
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South Africa: 'Torching of Trucks an Act of Economic Sabotage' - Transport Minister
SAnews.gov.za, 12 July 2023
Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga on Tuesday said she was gravely concerned about the torching of trucks on South African roads, describing the incidents as an “act of… Read more »
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South Africa: Authorities On High Alert After Truck Torchings Coincide With Anniversary of 2021 Riots
Daily Maverick, 11 July 2023
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… Read more »
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South Africa: Truck Drivers Lucky to Escape Injury
Scrolla, 11 July 2023
Truck drivers narrowly escaped injury as their trucks were set ablaze by fully armed attackers in eNselene on the N2 near Richards Bay on Monday night. Read more »
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South Africa: National Toll Route Reopened After Gunmen Set Fire to Six Trucks
Daily Maverick, 9 July 2023
A clean-up operation was under way at Van Reenen's Pass in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday after six trucks were set alight in the early hours of the morning. A group of armed men stopped… Read more »
Truck Attacks - Association Has No Faith in South African Police
A third suspect has been arrested in connection with recent attacks on freight trucks, TimesLive reports. The arrests come after at least 21 trucks were torched in the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga.
But Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association, told Daily Maverick that he sees no evidence that the police are up to the task of addressing the latest attacks.
"Zero," was his reply when Daily Maverick asked him on Thursday July 13, 2023 if he had any confidence in the police on this front.
"This phenomenon has been around for six years or so. There have been some years that it's been really bad and others when it's been quiet. And we've had drivers over the years who have been killed... they've been burnt, they've been seriously injured. And we haven't seen one, not one, court case where those who perpetrated this sort of thing were brought to book," Kelly told the publication.
Earlier, police minister Bheki Cele said law enforcement was hot on the heels of 12 people possibly linked to the recent torching of trucks on national roads.
The violence mirrors that of attacks in 2020 which saw President Cyril Ramaphosa condemn the acts of arson and their disruption to the nation's economy.
InFocus
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President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned arson attacks affecting the road freight industry. He also expressed his concern at the effect of the violence on owners and employees of ... Read more »
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More than 200 truck drivers, mostly foreign nationals - have been killed in South Africa since March 2018, based on research by the Road Freight Association. In response to the ... Read more »
A truck set alight in Mpumalanga near the Waterval Boven Tunnel on the N4.
