The Western Cape MEC for transport and public works Bonginkosi Madikizela and community safety MEC Albert Fritz condemned the looting and attacks on trucks in De Doorns and Worcester. This comes after there were two separate looting incidents in the Western Cape on Thursday.
The N1 highway in De Doorns had to be closed on Thursday morning after trucks and vehicles were stoned during protest action. Two trucks were looted by locals during the incident.
In a separate incident on Robertson Road in Worcester, another truck was looted by locals after it was involved in an accident.
Madikizela said these acts of criminality cannot be tolerated and law enforcement agencies must ensure strong action is taken against perpetrators.
He added that anyone responsible for these actions must be brought to book and prosecuted. Currently traffic officers are busy on the roads monitoring the situation and diverting traffic to ensure motorists arrive safely at their destinations.
The transport and public works MEC said road freight vehicles are soft targets for criminals who attack them leading to loss of transported goods, damage to the vehicles, injury to drivers and loss of life.
Fritz said looting and theft from vehicles particularly from trucks transporting retail stock, had no place in society.
According to Fritz these acts serve only to cripple the local economy, threaten the jobs and livelihoods of the many hardworking citizens and further instill a sense of insecurity in society.
Fritz urged anyone with any information on the perpetrators of these acts to come forward and report to Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or alternatively SMS 322111 or make a report using the MySaps App.
More: Cape Times