The actions of an alleged arsonist were caught on a dashcam camera in one of four trucks set alight in Mpumalanga this week, as police focus on the scourge of truck attacks in the country.
A dashcam aboard one of four trucks set alight on the N2 highway in Mpumalanga this week shows how a man pulled the truck driver from the vehicle before pouring liquid into the cab and setting it alight. Police say 12 people have already been identified as persons of interest in police investigations into the ongoing truck attacks
A dashcam on one of the four trucks torched on the N2 on Wednesday morning has revealed the face of a man allegedly behind the attack.
Emergency services said the stretch of roadway was closed for most of the day between Ermelo and Piet Retief while police patrolled and clean-up operations got under way.
In the video, which has been shared by Arrive Alive, the driver can be seen seated in the truck.
A short while later, he can be seen speaking to someone at the side of the road who then pulls the driver out and gets in.
The man, wearing a hooded jacket then pours a liquid substance into the cab of the truck, lights a match and alights as the cab is engulfed in flames.
The 1.25-minute long video shows the man’s face.
There have been widespread attacks on trucks in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, the Free State, Gauteng and Mpumalanga, with 21 trucks torched.
Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, Police Minister Bheki Cele, said 12 persons have been identified through investigations and intelligence collection.
“All cases have been reported and are being investigated,” Cele said.
In KZN, nine trucks were set alight at Van Reenen’s Pass and a driver was shot after he refused to alight from the vehicle. Cases of armed robbery, malicious damage to property and attempted murder are under investigation with detectives closely following up on leads.
However, Cele clarified that not all the attacks were violence against the trucking community. Some were linked to service delivery and other trucks caught alight through road accidents.
“In Mpumalanga, nine trucks were torched while three trucks en route to the local chrome mine in Limpopo were set alight. This points to ongoing labour disputes and service delivery issues with the Lydenburg mining belt, while in the Free State a truck caught alight after suffering mechanical failure,” Cele said.
He clarified that in Gauteng, a truck carrying flammable cargo suffered a burst tyre and overturned before bursting into flames, while in a second truck burnt after the driver lost control, causing the truck and its cargo to overturn.
Cele said SAPS has heightened visibility and will continue to patrol the highways.
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