Five accused of setting trucks alight in Mpumalanga to apply for bail

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The bail application of five men accused of setting alight trucks in Mpumalanga is set to be heard in the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

The accused, Nelson Shongwe, Sibusiso Mthethwa, Fundile Mpondo, Mafika Sibande and Nkosingiphile Gumede, were arrested a few weeks after nine trucks were burnt on the N2 and N4 roads in the province in July.

At the time a number of trucks were torched in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.

The accused face charges including robbery, malicious damage to property and attempted murder.

Accused in Mpumalanga truck attacks remanded in custody:

One of the lawyers, Senzo Mabaso, said in July his clients intend to plead not guilty.

“Well, it is difficult for us to get into the merits of the case now, so it’s early stages and we don’t want to say anything relating to that. I’m representing accused one, three and five. We are intending to plead not guilty in so far as those accused.”

The five men are allegedly among armed suspects who forced drivers out of the trucks, before setting the vehicles alight.

More than 20 trucks were burnt in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo, five on the N4 toll road near Machadodorp while four were torched on the N2 road, near Sheepmor.

–Mthobisi Mkhaliphi–