Towing wars still a concern in the city
A burnt out shell is all that is left of a towing vehicle after it was set alight in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
POLOKWANE – A burnt out shell is all that is left of a towing vehicle after it was set alight in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
According to towing vehicle owners and operators, it is suspected that the incident was part of a towing war that has been raging on and off for the past few years.
In this latest incident, towing vehicle operator, Peter Kubayi, said he woke up in the early morning hours to see flames licking at his vehicle, which was parked in his backyard in De Wet Avenue.
“We rushed out of bed to try and extinguish the fire with buckets of water and sand, but there was nothing left of the vehicle; it was completely destroyed.
“It was my only form of income, and we (my wife and I) have a baby on the way and a young daughter. Now there is no way for me to put food on the table or to do anything else,” he said.
He said he believed the burning of the bakkie was meant as a threat to him and his family’s safety, as the bakkie was set alight just a few steps away from his house.
Concerning this latest incident, towing company owner, Fred du Plooy, said the fire brigade never showed up and the police only found their way to the scene hours after the incident was reported.
In May and September 2012, similar incidents to the one on Tuesday occurred. Arson cases were opened at the Seshego and Polokwane police stations. However, according to Du Plooy, not much had been done in connection with these cases.
In October 2013, Review reported on another towing operator who was shot at and injured, allegedly by a rival towing operator.
Seshego police spokesperson, WO Mothemane Malefo, said a criminal case had been opened in this connection.
He said the suspect had been arrested and later released on bail.
He was due to appear before the Seshego magistrate’s court again in September, he said.
Du Plooy said it was widely believed in the industry that this was the person behind the burning of the latest vehicle.
“He is due to appear in court again soon, but with him running around free in the meantime, he is running a terror operation and trying to force us out of business. This so-called war has cost me at least 18 vehicles to date,” Du Plooy said.
Other tow truck operators told Review they did not understand the reasons behind the so-called war, as there was more than enough work to go around and there was nothing to fight about.
One of the tow truck operators, who wished to remain anonymous in the interest of his own safety, said he worked within Polokwane and the surrounding areas, and had never been confronted by people from other towing companies.
Polokwane police spokesperson, WO Lesiba Ramoshaba said a case of malicious damage to property relating to the latest incident had been opened, but no arrests had been made as yet.
“We urge anyone with information to report to the nearest police station or to phone (015) 290 6531,” he said.
