By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The N3 Toll Route at Van Reenen’s Pass in KwaZulu-Natal has been reopened to traffic after six trucks were set alight in the dead of night between Saturday and Sunday.
KZN traffic spokesperson Kwanele Ncalane said mop-up operations continued into the morning.
“This was a barbaric act. There was no need for such incidents. There is still a huge traffic backlog, and motorists are urged to delay their travel arrangements where necessary,” said Ncalane.
N3 Toll Concession spokesperson Thania Dhoogra said the southbound lanes on Van Reenen’s Pass are now open, accommodating both directions of traffic using contraflow.
“The northbound carriageway (towards Johannesburg) will remain closed until repairs can be completed and the road deemed safe for passage,” said Dhoogra.
Motorists traveling on the N3 heading for Johannesburg from Durban were advised to delay their travels while mop up operations were underway at the crime scene on Sunday morning.
A large police consignment, including the Public Order Policing Unit, has been monitoring the situation.
While it is unclear what motivated the arson attack on the heavy-duty carriers, officials believe it may relate to protests in the area.
The Road Freight Association (RFA) has since condemned the attacks on truck drivers, saying it “cannot accept the scenes that played out”.
“This was a coordinated attack on the road freight sector. Both the specific spot on the N3, as well as the timing, were chosen to cause the best outcome in terms of mayhem and disruption,” said RFA CEO Gavin Kelly.
If this is the same grouping that has been behind such attacks across the country over the past six years, then action needs to be taken against those who promote, plan and implement such criminal actions,” Kelly added.