Mpumalanga police have distanced themselves from reports that a person has been arrested in connection with the truck attacks
The eNCA confirmed that a suspect is behind bars following an arrest in Piet Retief, Mpumalanga.
Speaking to Sunday World on Thursday, Mohlala poured cold water over the report.
“No one has been arrested. I don’t have that kind of information and I would like to distance myself from such,” said Mohlala.
“I don’t know where they [eNCA] got this information from, I am trying to get hold of the person who confirmed the news so they can be disclosed.”
So far, 21 trucks have been torched in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Gauteng in what has been described as coordinated attacks.
A total of 12 people of interest have been identified to be possibly responsible for the truck attacks, according to Police Minister Bheki Cele.
Addressing the media in Pretoria on Wednesday, Cele said the identified suspects have not been arrested yet, noting that the police are investigating.
“There might be four groupings that have been identified now, coordinated in one centre somewhere in the northern KwaZulu-Natal,” Cele said.
Cele added that intelligence suggests that truck attacks “may be business related” and not just random acts of criminality.
“Evidence before us points to organised, co-ordinated and sophisticated operations that seek to undermine and sabotage the state.
“We are encouraged that persons of interest have been identified through investigations and intelligence-collection.”
Mpumalanga MEC for community safety, security and liaison Vusi Shongwe on Wednesday condemned the torching of trucks in the province.
He called on members of the public and the trucking industry to provide any valuable information that may assist the police to bring the perpetrators to book.
“The trucking industry plays an important role in the development of our economy and the sustenance of livelihoods. We believe with a more coordinated effort in approaching this situation perpetrators will be brought to book.”
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