Not one but two suspects have already been arrested in connection with this week’s wave of attacks on trucks, says the South African Police Service (SAPD).
The one suspect was arrested on Thursday morning with the help of a private security company on a farm in the vicinity of Piet Retief in Mpumalanga. The other one was handcuffed this morning in Ermelo.
As RNews understands, the suspects were apparently involved in the incident in which four trucks were set on fire on the N2 between Piet Retief and Ermelo.
Brig. Athlenda Mathe, police spokesperson, says the two suspects, respectively 29 and 27 years old, will now both stand trial on charges of willful damage to property.
RNews earlier reported that the private security company ACSU Security has widely distributed a photo of one of the suspects this week in order to obtain more information about his activities. The company is based in Ermelo.
The company received information on Wednesday and went to the suspect’s house between Piet Retief and Wakkerstroom. However, the suspect was not at home.
However, he was arrested on his return in the early hours of the morning.
Lt. Gen. Fannie Masemola, the national police commissioner, says the police are on the trail of more suspects.
“The police are on the heels of more suspects including the ring leaders of these sporadic incidents of criminality. Either they turn themselves in or we go and get them ourselves.”
No less than 21 trucks were set on fire in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo this week.
Various political parties have since expressed concern over the lack of arrests in connection with the ongoing attacks.
