The Ministry of Transport has called on law enforcement to arrest those responsible for the torching of 50 Public Utility Company (PUTCO) buses and ensure that they are prosecuted in court.
PUTCO’s bus fleet plays a key role in moving about 200 000 commuters a day, with its biggest operation being in the province of Mpumalanga.
In a statement on Tuesday, PUTCO said that the buses were set alight on Monday night after unknown men ambushed and tied-up security guards at the Moloto depot before burning buses on site.
It added that two employees were injured during the incident and had to be treated in hospital.
“Soon thereafter, attacks were reported at the Wolwekraal and Siyabuswa depots,” it said, adding that it is closely monitoring the situation.
“Authorities are investigating the incident, and we appeal to members of the public who may have information on these coordinated attacks to contact their local police,” said PUTCO.
This as the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, and Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa have condemned the incident in the strongest of terms and described it as an act of aggression.
“The Minister and Deputy Minister have thus characterised the act as economic sabotage given the critical role that the bus industry plays in the mobility of the workforce in the country.
“The Minister has instructed the department to organise an urgent meeting with National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) to discuss this matter and develop necessary integrated response,” the Transport Ministry said on Tuesday.
The ministry said it fears that interfering with the company’s operations may regrettably have disastrous impact on the commuters in Mpumalanga, who rely on the bus operator to commute to as far as Gauteng on a daily basis.
“It is therefore of utmost importance that the law enforcement agencies take every possible course of action to investigate Monday’s incident and bring the perpetrators to book to face the full might of the law.
“The department will also continue to support any effort taken to prevent acts of sabotage on the country’s public transport system.
“The Minister and Deputy Minister wish a speedy recovery to the two employees who were injured in the course of the arson attack, and they have also expressed their full support to PUTCO in this period,” the Transport Ministry said.
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