The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has been deployed to four provinces in response to a series of truck torchings.
SANDF head of communication, Siphiwe Dlamini, confirmed that members have been deployed to KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and the Free State to provide support to the police in their efforts to address the situation.
The Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, reported that the first attacks were reported at Van Reenen's Pass in KwaZulu-Natal.
He stated that armed men accosted a truck driver and fired shots at the truck, but the driver managed to escape unharmed.
In total, nine trucks were torched in Mpumalanga and three in the Free State.
On Friday, national SAPS spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, announced that three suspects had been arrested as part of the investigation into the attacks.
The multidisciplinary team responsible for the investigation made the arrests in Mpumalanga, with the assistance of a private security firm.
Two of the suspects were arrested at their residences, one on a farm in Piet Retief and the other in Ermelo. The third suspect was arrested in Emalahleni. All three suspects are facing charges of malicious damage to property and will appear in court soon.
The deployment of the SANDF and the arrests made by the police demonstrate a concerted effort to address the truck torchings and bring the perpetrators to justice.
IOL