Three truckers attacked in 24 hours, one truck torched

Three trucks were damaged – one stoned, one torched and another shot at - in the wake of a rumours about a national truckers strike.

Two of the attacks happened in Nelson Mandela Bay during the early hours of Monday morning while another incident left one truck torched outside Paterson on Sunday afternoon.

Truckers and motorists are cautioned to be extra vigilant while travelling on known trucking routes – particularly near Truckers Inn in Wells Estate.

Since last week, social media messages have been circulated calling for a national shutdown of major routes on September 1 and 2.

According to national reports, there have been pockets of attacks on trucks in various provinces.

Most trucking sector industry players, including the freight and logistics sector, have distanced themselves from the strike.

SA truck drivers have accused foreign national drivers of stealing their jobs, which has led to scores of them being attacked and their trucks torched, particularly along the busy N3 and N2 roads.

It is still unclear who is instigating the strike action.

Police suspect the three attacks are  linked to the trucking strike.

In the wake of the three attacks, Bay police have setup a Joint Operations Centre (JOC) to monitor and respond to trucking related incidents.

Officials have confirmed that one of the latest incident saw a Gauteng truck driver shot at while leaving Motherwell at 3am on Monday.

According to police, the driver was turning off the N2 onto the R335 after travelling from Johannesburg.

The truck had turned off the N2 and was going over the bridge towards Truckers Inn when a gunman - who was standing on the side of the road - started shooting at the truck.

Police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci said the windows of the truck were damaged but the driver managed to drive the truck to safety.

Officials confirmed that the driver managed to take the on-ramp and went back on the N2 towards Coega.

The driver was driving a branded logistics vehicle and pulling a trailer. Both the driver and passenger windows are shattered from the shooting.

By 5am another truck, in the same area, was pelted with stones.

“The windscreen of the truck was damaged but the driver managed to drive to safety,” Soci said.

This comes after a truck was hijacked and torched at 3pm on Sunday on the Olifantskop Pass, near Paterson.

Police said the branded logistical truck was carrying a container with pallets of refrigerated food from Coega to Gauteng.

The truck was hijacked while driving slowly up the N10 at Olifantskop Pass, near Paterson, when a silver grey polo hatch back overtook the truck.

“Three suspects used a silver VW Polo to block the road and caused the truck to stop,” Soci said.

Officials on the scene said the truck was driven a short distance and placed across the road before being torched with petrol bombs.

“The driver escaped unharmed but the truck was extensively damaged,” Soci added.

Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga condemned the spate of attacks calling them criminal.

“We urge anyone with information on these attacks please come forward and assist police with the investigations,” she said.