Five men accused of torching trucks appeared in the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court.
- The bail applications of arson-accused truck drivers were postponed to Wednesday due to load shedding at the Ermelo Magistrate‘s Court.
- Five members of the All Truck Drivers Forum face various charges, including attempted murder.
- The State alleges they orchestrated violence in the cargo transport sector in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo in July.
Load shedding at the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court led to the postponement of the bail applications of alleged truck arsonists in Mpumalanga.
The accused – Nelson Khulekani Shongwe, 29, Sibusiso Emmanuel Mthethwa, 38, Fundile Alberta Mpondo, 41, Mafika William Sibanda, 61, and Nkosingiphile Nkosikhona Gumede, 27 – appeared in court on Tuesday.
The State alleges the five, who are members of the All Truck Drivers Forum (ATDF) – torched trucks in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo in July.
At least 20 trucks were torched in that month alone.
READ | State to oppose bail for five men charged with torching trucks
The accused face charges of attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, malicious damage to property, conspiracy to commit a crime of malicious property damage, and possessing a firearm.
According to a previous News24 report, the State alleged: “during July 2023 near Kinross, in the district of Govan Mbeki, the accused unlawfully and intentionally conspired with fellow members of the forum to aid or procure the commission of or to commit an offence, to wit to unlawfully and intentionally damage trucks transporting goods on the N2 national road”.
At least 20 trucks were burnt in KZN, Mpumalanga and Limpopo in July 2023
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The five men were also accused of attempting to kill truck driver Bhongolwethu Bhongo Dayimani when they threw petrol bombs at the truck he was driving near Sheepmoor on 12 July.
The ATDF, which is funding the private legal representation of the accused, previously denied allegations it instructed its members to participate in the arson attacks.
Its secretary-general, Sifiso Nyathi, instead blamed the government for failing to address labour-related grievances in the cargo transport sector.
The accused are now expected to make their bail applications on Wednesday.