The Democratic Alliance on Monday called for a joint operation by the police, military and intelligence structures to tackle what it termed “violent lawlessness” across South Africa and protect the country’s logistics sectors.
This after truck drivers have embarked on a nationwide strike in protest at foreign drivers allegedly taking away their jobs.
However, the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) on Sunday distanced itself from the strike, saying it was unclear who had called it.
On Monday trucks offloaded sand on the M9 between the N2 and Baden Powell Road and provincial traffic chief Kenny Africa said a truck was impounded for blocking the N2 from Somerset West to Cape Town.
The truck was taken to a storage facility in Ndabeni.
A number of freeways that were closed due to the protest were reopened later the morning causing massive traffic jams on the N2 and N7.
DA MP Andrew Whitfield said he would ask police commissioner General Khehla Sitole to activate the National Joint Operations and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) to intervene to curb violence, protect infrastructure and prevent further damage to the economy arising out of events such as looting, attacks on foreign nationals and the torching of trucks in the ongoing labour protest.
“The Natjoints is empowered to co-ordinate all security and law enforcement operations throughout the country and is therefore well placed to first anticipate and, if necessary, to respond timeously to incidents of criminality and disorder when they occur.”
The nationwide protest has seen highways blocked, 20 trucks burnt and a driver died of injuries when his truck was petrol bombed near Touws River.
African News Agency