A cross-border haulier of bulk freight and project cargo in the sub-Saharan region alleges that the South African Police Service (SAPS) is wilfully neglecting to investigate a reported case of truck hijacking and payload theft.
According to the operator, the incident on June 5 involved the hijacking of a Zambian-registered vehicle and its cargo – cobalt hydroxide with an approximate value of $300 000.
Ten days after the Harrismith incident, the operator says it has received little to no assistance from authorities.
This is despite furnishing police* with enough detail to adequately pursue the matter, such as the name of a truck driver it believes to be involved.
Alarmingly, interference with trucks in transit appears to be spreading and now also includes ‘hits’ in countries such as Botswana, formerly seen as safe.
The operator, whose name has been withheld for security reasons, said: “We have had two hijacking attempts in the span of 30 days in Botswana.” He said the area was previously considered safe enough to travel through without an escort.
A worrying element to the risks road freighters faced, said the operator, was the perceived disinterest that, apart from law enforcers, appears to include the public.
“We see a lack of conversation surrounding the topic in our industry currently,” the operator said.
* Freight News is in the process of seeking comment from the SAPS.
