A third suspect linked to the torching of nine trucks in Mpumalanga was arrested on Thursday night in Emalahleni. This brings the total number of people arrested for the burning of trucks in the province to three.
On Thursday morning, police with the help of a private security company, arrested two truck drivers. The pair aged 29 and 27 were arrested in Piet Retief and in Ermelo. National police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe said the first suspect was arrested on a farm in Piet Retief while the second suspect was arrested in Ermelo. "The arrests come as a result of investigations by a multidisciplinary team assigned to investigate the attacks on trucks and the burning of them," Mathe said, confirming that the number of suspects arrested in relation to the torching of trucks has risen to three. "All suspects including the two drivers who were arrested earlier on Thursday will appear before the Ermelo Magistrates Court on Monday 17 July on charges of malicious damage to property," Mathe said. She added that police are hot on the heels of more suspects which involves the ring leaders of these sporadic incidents of criminality. "High-density operations continue through roadblocks, stop and searches, and the tracing operations of these wanted suspects," she added.
TORCHING OF TRUCKS
Twenty-one trucks have been torched on different highways in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and Gauteng since Sunday. Addressing the media at a press briefing on Wednesday, Police Minister Bheki Cele said that the police had identified 12 people of interest in regard to the torching. Cele said intelligence suggests that the attacks may be business related and that they know that these are not just random acts of criminality, adding that evidence pointed to organised, coordinated, and sophisticated operations that seek to undermine and sabotage the state."Whether it is economic sabotage, labour or service delivery related disputes, police are closing in on those who choose to use violence and intimidation for whatever motive," he said.
