Six trucks have been torched in Mpumalanga, and police have yet to catch anyone. Armed gangs struck along the N3 and N2 in the Gert Sibande District, leaving vehicles burned and drivers caught in attacks on busy freight routes.
The first attack hit the N3 near Grootvlei, where roadwork had forced traffic to slow. A driver heading for Villiers came across a tanker parked in his path. Then four men with guns came out from beside it and forced him to halt.
One of the suspects had a five-liter can of gas. The gang used it to burn the truck, but the driver got away and found help near the scene. From a safe spot, he could see the flames take hold of his vehicle.
Police say the men ran off on foot, crossed a fence, and headed toward Villiers. By the time officers checked the area, five trucks had been hit. Three had only part of their bodies burned, while the rest suffered more severe fire damage.
The cost could be steep. Police put the value of one truck tractor at about R3.2 million, with two trailers worth a total of R350,000. No one was hurt in that attack, though officers could not find two of the drivers at the scene and began efforts to trace them.
Then another truck came under attack near Piet Retief. Armed men stopped it on the N2, about 15 kilometers along the route toward Pongola. This stretch also had road crews at work, leaving traffic moving through a zone with lower speeds.
The gang took the driver's phone and set fire to his vehicle before making off. He got out without harm. Detectives have opened a probe into attempted murder, armed theft, and damage to property linked to the incident.
Back at Grootvlei, the first case involves armed robbery and five counts tied to the wrecked trucks. Officers have not named any suspects, and they still do not know what led to the attacks.
Mpumalanga police chief Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise has put a special team on the case. Veteran detectives and Crime Intelligence staff are working together to trace the gunmen and check leads from both scenes.
Extra police have also moved into the affected areas. Modise says his officers will use the means at their disposal to find those behind the fires, with the safety of truck drivers and other road users a key concern.
For freight firms, the locations raise a practical worry. Both attacks took place near roadwork, where trucks had less room to move at speed. Police have not said whether the gangs picked those spots for that reason.
Anyone who can help identify the attackers can call Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or send a tip through the MySAPS App. Police say they will keep the details private as the search for the suspects carries on.
The first attack hit the N3 near Grootvlei, where roadwork had forced traffic to slow. A driver heading for Villiers came across a tanker parked in his path. Then four men with guns came out from beside it and forced him to halt.
One of the suspects had a five-liter can of gas. The gang used it to burn the truck, but the driver got away and found help near the scene. From a safe spot, he could see the flames take hold of his vehicle.
Police say the men ran off on foot, crossed a fence, and headed toward Villiers. By the time officers checked the area, five trucks had been hit. Three had only part of their bodies burned, while the rest suffered more severe fire damage.
The cost could be steep. Police put the value of one truck tractor at about R3.2 million, with two trailers worth a total of R350,000. No one was hurt in that attack, though officers could not find two of the drivers at the scene and began efforts to trace them.
Then another truck came under attack near Piet Retief. Armed men stopped it on the N2, about 15 kilometers along the route toward Pongola. This stretch also had road crews at work, leaving traffic moving through a zone with lower speeds.
The gang took the driver's phone and set fire to his vehicle before making off. He got out without harm. Detectives have opened a probe into attempted murder, armed theft, and damage to property linked to the incident.
Back at Grootvlei, the first case involves armed robbery and five counts tied to the wrecked trucks. Officers have not named any suspects, and they still do not know what led to the attacks.
Mpumalanga police chief Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise has put a special team on the case. Veteran detectives and Crime Intelligence staff are working together to trace the gunmen and check leads from both scenes.
Extra police have also moved into the affected areas. Modise says his officers will use the means at their disposal to find those behind the fires, with the safety of truck drivers and other road users a key concern.
For freight firms, the locations raise a practical worry. Both attacks took place near roadwork, where trucks had less room to move at speed. Police have not said whether the gangs picked those spots for that reason.
Anyone who can help identify the attackers can call Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or send a tip through the MySAPS App. Police say they will keep the details private as the search for the suspects carries on.
