Four trucks were set alight on the N2 between Piet Retief and Ermelo in Mpumalanga on Wednesday morning.
According to reports, three of the trucks were seriously damaged while one only burned in the cabin.
A female passengers in one of the trucks is said to have sustained injuries on her feet. She was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Selvy Mohlala said it is alleged that unknown people emerged from nowhere and approached the truck drivers with firearms, ordered them out of the trucks and torched them.
“They [drivers] left and ran away. The trucks were then set alight,” said Mohlala.
No one has been arrested and the police are investigating. The motive for the attack is unknown at the moment.
On Monday, two trucks were torched in KwaZulu-Natal. This after six trucks were set alight early on Sunday morning, which resulted in the temporary closure of the Van Reenen’s Pass.
It is believed that the attack on Monday took place at Canefields between eNseleni and Empangeni.
Police Minister Bheki Cele is expected to brief the nation on the mobilisation of resources to prevent, combat and arrest the people behind the torching of trucks.
The attacks have not been received well by the Road Freight Association (RFA), which on Monday described the attacks as “co-ordinated attacks on the road freight sector”.
Gavin Kelly, CEO of the RFA, said at the time that the people who frequently attack the road leg of logistics supply chain need to understand that the long-term effects will bring greater destruction to employment levels.
“This will result in further job losses, as businesses and supporting sectors shrink and trade moves away from South Africa,” Kelly said.
“If this is the same grouping that has been behind such attacks across the country over the past six years, then action needs to be taken against those who promote, plan and implement such criminal actions.
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