Twenty-one haulage trucks have been burnt in the middle of South African highways in the restive KwaZulu-Natal province, Limpopo province and Mpumalanga, the ‘coal-belt’ province, in the past week.
The arsonists, who appear ruthless and sophisticated, have not revealed their identity or made any political demands.
Though the motives are still unknown, the attacks, which deal a blow to the already struggling logistics sector, have sparked fears of a repeat of the unrest and criminality that followed former president Jacob Zuma’s imprisonment in 2021.
Lorry hijackings
The criminals’ modus operandi is hijacking freight trucks at gunpoint in the middle of the night or early morning, chasing away the drivers and setting ablaze the lorries and their cargo.
On Friday, amid an escalation in the arson attacks, the South African army was roped in to patrol key highways and tollgate plazas.
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