Five men arrested in connection with Mpumalanga truck torching
All five suspects were arrested in Mpumalanga. Four of them are confirmed to be truck drivers themselves.
Five people have been arrested in connection with two separate incidents of burning of trucks in Mpumalanga.
According a national police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, four of the suspects were identified to be truck drivers themselves. One is a former truck driver.
The first incident had taken place on the N4 near Emgwenya. Five trucks were set alight late on July 9. The second incident involved the burning of four trucks on the N2 between Ermelo and eMkhondo on the morning of July 12.
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A statement by Mathe said the five suspects were expected to appear in the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court on Monday, July 17, however, the outcome of the appearance was not known by the time of publishing.
Mathe said a multidisciplinary team assigned with investigating the two attacks made their first arrests on the morning of July 13.
The suspects, aged 29 and 27, were arrested at their place of residence; one on a farm in eMkhondo with the assistance of a private security firm, and the other in Ermelo. Both suspects face a charge of malicious damage to property.
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A third suspect was arrested in eMalahleni that same night, and two more were arrested a few days later in Mpumalanga, but the exact date and location of the arrest were unclear at the time of publishing.
The Mpumalanga MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Vusi Shongwe, also released a statement following the arrests.
He noted that the province borders both Mozambique and eSwatini, and that the freight industry was a major role player in the economy.
“Many more people are employed in this industry, that is why no acts of economic sabotage… should be allowed to thrive.”
Shongwe also urged truck drivers and the public to report any suspicious activities or people to the police.
