Hopes that road hauliers might escape any further violent interference on South Africa’s roads were dashed today when at least two trucks were set alight north of Cape Town just after 1am this morning.
Western Cape traffic chief, Kenny Africa, said the attacks had taken place between Klapmuts and Joostenbergvlakte.
He urged motorists and transporters to use alternative roads between Paarl and Cape Town.
At this stage it is not clear whether the attacks are related to yesterday’s random and widely spread incidents of xenophobic violence against transporters suspected of illegally employing foreign national truck drivers.
As has been the case in the past, truck torching by service delivery protesters often coincides with the kind of vigilantism instigated by organisations opposed to non-South African truck drivers.
Since news filtered through about this morning’s arson attacks, the Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations (Fesarta) confirmed closure of customs at South Africa’s border into Zimbabwe following a case of Covid-19.
Fesarta chief executive Mike Fitzmaurice said the SA Revenue Service at Beitbridge had been forced to close their offices due to a confirmed case.
“We are waiting to hear what arrangements are being put in place to ensure it does not affect the clearing of cargo through the border.”
Freight News will track developments at the border as they unfold.
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