Three cane trucks were set alight on the R102 outside KwaDukuza at Ntshaweni last night when an angry mob of children and young adults closed the road and surrounded the vehicles.

Truck owner, Peter Cunningham of Siyavuka Cane Transport said he was astonished when he realised that the majority were, “children as young as eight and up to about 18.”

Earlier that day a protest had erupted after an accident on the road reportedly claimed a life.

According to the police the people had been demanding more speed bumps be placed on the road to discourage speeding.

The people had been dispersed and it was believed that the protesting was over.

Cunningham said he received a call for help from his driver late on Friday afternoon.

“The road had been barricaded and my driver could not get through.

“These big trucks are very difficult to reverse so he was trapped,” he said.

“I drove the gauntlet to reach my driver and he jumped out of the truck and into my vehicle. They were waving pangas and yelling threats but we managed to get out.”

Cunningham said he tried to get call the KwaDukuza police but the phone was not answered.

“When I arrived there and requested help no one leaped into action. The trucks were only 2km outside Stanger and yet they claimed to not know of the problem.

“If they had gone immediately they probably could have saved the vehicles.”