Eastern Cape trucks torched

Eastern Cape police are investigating two cases of arson after trucks were damaged and set alight, police said on Tuesday.

Warrant Officer Dumile Gwavu said a delivery truck was torched in Wells Estate, Port Elizabeth, on Monday.

"It is alleged that a group of people came from among the houses of Wells Estate with stones. They pelted the truck with stones. The driver and passenger ran away and minutes later the truck was petrol-bombed."

The driver and passengers escaped unhurt. No arrests had been made.

In Uitenhage, two men threw bottles of petrol into a truck, and set it alight. No one was injured.

"We are not sure if these incidents are linked to the ongoing truck strike," said Gwavu.

Earlier, Western Cape police said a truck overturned after being pelted with stones on the N2 highway in Cape Town.

Lt-Col Andrè Traut said the truck was stoned "by a group of criminals for some or other reason".

No one was injured and no arrests were made.

Cape Town traffic spokeswoman Merle Lourens said a second truck was set alight at the Borcherds Quarry offramp. The N2 highway would be closed at this offramp and the R300 intersection while the trucks were towed away.

It was unclear whether the violence was linked to the strike in the transport sector.

In Johannesburg, striking truck drivers marched to the transport and freight bargaining council in Braamfontein to deliver a memorandum of grievances.

Their strike began a week ago. They wanted a 12 percent pay rise while employers had offered 8.5 percent for next year, and another 0.5 percent the following year.