Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has condemned the attacks on trucks and said those who were behind this violence will face the full might of the law.
He said the country has been facing the rise in the attacks on the trucks, but the government will act decisively.
He said it was intolerable that there were people who were bent on destabilising the industry with violence.
The time for the attacks on trucks had to come to an end, he said.
He described the violence in the sector as akin to economic sabotage.
Mbalula was making a statement in the National Assembly on the road safety plan for the festive season on Tuesday, when he spoke out against the torching of trucks.
The duty of the government was to protect property against any form of attack or destruction.
He said as part of the efforts to fight the violence, they would also work with other departments.
“Our traffic officers will be part of joint law enforcement operations alongside SAPS, the Departments of Home Affairs, and Employment and Labour, to curb this ill-conduct. As part of our interventions we will be amending the Road Traffic Act Regulations to better regulate the authority of a Professional Driving Permit (PDP) issued in a foreign country. This process will include consultations with other SADC countries. Cross-border operations will also be undertaken to address the issue of overloading, which contributes to fatalities on our roads,” said Mbalula.
Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi also slammed the truck violence last week, saying they will get to the bottom of it.
Bheki Cele, the police minister, also condemned the outbreak of the violence.
Political Bureau