Tensions as two bakkies stoned
Business owners in Cacadu (formerly Lady Frere) say they are living in fear after two of their bakkies were stoned.
They have accused members of the Cacadu Trucking Primary Co-operative of being behind the Tuesday incident – an allegation the truckers has denied.
However, it confirmed it had a grievance regarding the transportation of goods to customers.
The co-operative said their members were stationed outside shops in the area, offering transport to customers.
However, most of these shops have since introduced their own transport services, which Cacadu Trucking says has affected them negatively.
Sakhile Hardware owner Gurmeet Singhs said a mob stormed into his shop on Tuesday, demanding to transport the goods his customers had bought.
“We had no agreement and all they are doing is threatening us. We reported the matter to the police and they are doing nothing to help us with the matter.
“Now we are afraid and we don’t know what to do,” he said, adding that when he refused, two of his bakkies were pelted with stones.
Spokesperson Captain Namhla Mdleleni said Cacadu police were investigating a case of malicious damage to property.
When the Daily Dispatch arrived at the shop late on Tuesday, about 10 people carrying sjamboks were shouting at the shop’s entrance and prevented customers from entering.
They threatened to close the shop and told Singhs that his bakkies and trucks would not go into the villages.
Another hardware owner, Shaheed Imran, said this had been happening for months in all foreign nationals’ shops.
“The police are not assisting us with this because we report these threats,” he said.
“They tell us that we have an agreement, which we don’t know. We never had an agreement with the association.”
Mdleleni denied the claims that police were doing nothing about the situation.
“I have spoken with the station commander on the matter and they are busy following up the claim made by the shop owners.”
The co-operative’s Linda Mlibaliba said they were talking with the shop owners about transporting their customers’ goods.
“These people are taking our loads and they are using our price list. We are demanding that they give us what we want,” he said.
He denied being involved in the stoning of the vehicles.
Border Kei Chamber of Business administrator Adre Bartis said they were trying to get the two parties to meet and reach a solution.
“There is no agreement the two parties,” said.
She said no one can do business with someone who is threatening them.
“If these criminal activities keep on happening the business must not hesitate to open a case. The businesses are creating jobs for the people of Cacadu and all these allegations that they are not creating jobs are incorrect,” she said.
No arrests have been made following Tuesday’s incident. between she