Worrying Surge in Truck Torching

Last week the perennial problem of truck torchings on major routes returned. What started with six trucks being set alight at Van Reenen’s Pass in KwaZulu-Natal in the early hours of Sunday, 9 July, ended with a total of 21 trucks torched — other incidents occurred in Limpopo and Mpumalanga. According to the police, most of the trucks were transporting coal and chrome. In a briefing on Wednesday, the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, said the aim of the attacks was ‘to undermine and sabotage the state.’ Twelve people of interest have been identified, while four have been arrested in Mpumalanga. The police are investigating 107 similar cases which have taken place since 2018.

CRA analysis suggests that multiple factors contribute to this phenomenon:

• Firstly, local drivers’ express frustration over the employment of foreign drivers.
• Secondly, communities facing challenging socio-economic conditions become increasingly discontented.
• Thirdly, party political motives, including conflicts within political parties, play a role.

These causes intersect with extortion and conflicts involving "mafia-style" elements, potentially involving political actors.

Regardless of the underlying reasons, the economic consequences are severe, particularly when considering the worsening alternatives for rail freight. This situation will adversely affect business confidence and South Africa's reputation as an investment destination.

Setback for Zuma

In a separate — but in future possibly related — development, former President Jacob Zuma might have to return to prison to complete his 15-month sentence for contempt of court, of which he has served only two months. The Constitutional Court last week dismissed an application by the National Commissioner of Correctional Services for leave to appeal a previous ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).

The SCA had found that the prisons commissioner’s decision to release Mr. Zuma on early medical parole was ‘unlawful’ and that he should return to prison to finish his sentence. The ConCourt ruled the prisons commissioner’s appeal had ‘no reasonable prospects of success’. Mr. Zuma is reportedly currently in Russia, for medical attention. Mr. Zuma’s incarceration for contempt of court was one of the sparks that ignited widescale unrest and looting in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July 2021.

Similar incidents could recur, especially amidst the rising cost of living, falling real incomes, high unemployment, and general frustrations in many communities with the current status quo. The 2024 national election increases the stakes further.

Unions Weigh In

On the 17th July the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) issued a statement on the Constitutional Court Judgement on former President Jacob Zuma, calling for Government to ensure all security measures are put in place to prevent a repeat of the July 2021 violence.

“Government needs to ensure all security measures are put in place to prevent a repeat of the July 2021 violence. We cannot afford, when we have an unemployment rate of 42% and workers are already battling a myriad of other socio-economic challenges, to allow any further own goals. This comes at a time when we have witnessed the burning of long distance trucks on key economic routes, threatening the lives of workers who are truck drivers, their families and the nation’s economic security.”

Excellerate Response

As we move towards the 2024 elections, we anticipate a marked increase in social unrest and riots. We echo recent statements made by Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and numerous business leaders, warning that South Africa faces social unrest and riots.

Ntshavheni said crime, corruption, high levels of load-shedding, and unemployment pose risks to national security. She said regular load-shedding at high stages severely impacts the economy and government initiatives advancing the developmental agenda. These factors can lead to a socially and politically unstable environment by making communities “susceptible to mobilisation against the government by elements with nefarious agendas.”

Excellerate Security assures clients that we are maintaining a state of operational readiness and are on standby to activate our Civil Unrest Response Plan. The first phase of which would be to escalate from BAU (Business as Usual) to Code Orange Alert Level – which is appropriate to a protected strike situation. We continue to monitor our various intelligence sources and will share risk updates as an when we receive them.

Advice

• Monitor developments via credible media channels for information on any related protests in your area.
• Do not pay attention to, or distribute, unverified WhatsApp messages.
• If travel in the vicinity of protest-related gatherings is unavoidable, reconfirm the status of routes prior to setting out and allow additional time to complete journeys.
• If caught in a spontaneous gathering, calmly and immediately leave the area if safe to do so and return to a secure place until the situation stabilises.
• Anticipate a heightened police and security presence in the vicinity of all related gatherings. Follow all official directives and leave at the first sign of unrest.

Source: www.cra-sa.com