HIJACKING TRUCKS BY CRIMINALS

HARDLY a day after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dispatched envoys to assure the rest of the world that xenophobic attacks against African foreign nationals were under control, four Zambian trucks were hijacked.

Whether these were random actions or part of an orchestrated criminal plot, or just a continuation of the xenophobic attacks, we do not know. We however, feel that it must be frightening for the truck drivers.

One truck being hijacked would have seemed random, but four trucks on the same day and in the same area seems to be the result of a well laid plan and ambush.

This, coming on the heels of violent attacks on foreign nationals of African origin, can only be viewed as either the continuation of xenophobic attacks or its residue. Whatever the case might be, it is not something that the South African government will find easy to explain considering their peace envoys are just starting on their mission of goodwill.

The hijacking of four Zambian trucks is an unfortunate setback to the Pretoria regime’s peace mission and should be an eye opener to the many problems that the government needs to address.

This should also signify to the South African government that the agenda for the peace ambassadors should be extended to cover this all too common criminality.

While we welcome the peace envoys, we also feel that Pretoria should seriously deal with the criminal elements that would want to intensify their illicit activities to instill fear in foreigners.

We recognise that parts of South Africa, such as Durban, serve as important points of entry for imports and this is a crucial role within the sub region and for landlocked countries such as Zambia. It is a reliable route for both imports and exports for the region.

It is for this reason that we applaud the Ramaphosa government’s decision to send envoys to talk to the various African countries whose nationals have been or were caught up in the xenophobic attacks.

We know that some of the countries whose nationals were targeted included Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. In some of these countries, retaliatory attacks were reported with South African super market chains being targeted.

During the height of the xenophobic attacks, truck drivers from the Zambian side were discouraged from entering South Africa and those from there were also delayed at points of entry for fear of retaliatory attacks.

This led to congestion at border points.

It is therefore a positive development for the South African government to send envoys to reassure its trade partners and neighbours that all is well.

We are hopeful that all is well indeed. We do not expect reports of hijacks, such as the criminal acts against the four Zambian trucks to re occur. While the trucks have since been recovered, we hope that the South African government would step up security to ensure criminal elements are kept in check.

Last week, South African police in Gauteng Province recovered the four Zambian trucks that were hijacked in Johannesburg on Sunday morning.

The three trucks were found abandoned in the industrial area of Steeledale, about 15 kilometres from the scene in Wadesville, Germiston.

The other truck was also found around Dragon City area within Johannesburg and unfortunately all the vehicle engines that were being transported on the trucks have gone missing.

This kind of criminality is damaging South Africa’s name in the region and making it out to look like a haven for criminals.

We hope that the envoys will be able to reassure everyone that xenophobic attacks will no longer be an issue and Africans are free to stay in that country.