Apocolyptic-like scenes of desstruction unfolded on Monday, 27 January 2025, when 51 Putco buses were torched in Mpumalanga’s Nkangala District.
The attacks, described by police as “meticulously coordinated and calculated”, has left the province in shock as authorities scramble to determine… what was the actual motive behind this sort of extreme violence?
IT ALL STARTED IN KWAMHLANGA
It was around 6pm that the chaos began in Kwamhlanga, where 15 armed suspects, dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, stormed a bus depot in Moloto.
According to police reports, they held employees who were still on shift that evening at gunpoint.
When approached by a security officer, the brazen gunmen opened fire, injuring the security guard.
While panic gripped the scene, the suspects proceeded to set fire to the 16 buses parked at the depot before making their escape.
The injured guard was rushed to hospital, where he is receiving medical treatment.
NEXT STOP: SIYABUSWA
But the destruction did not end there.
In Siyabuswa, the attackers struck again, targeting two more depots. Police confirmed that at the Maphotla depot, 10 suspects assaulted another security guard on their way to target 18 buses. It wasn’t long after that they set those vehicles alight too.
Minutes later, another group descended on the Thabana depot, where 17 more buses were parked. Storming their way to those buses, the criminals torched them till they burned down to the ground too.
WIDESPREAD FEAR AND SPECULATION
Police spokesperson, Brigadier Donald Mdhluli, told the mediathat the scale of the attacks, carried out in such a systematic manner, has sparked widespread fear and speculation.
“Emergency services, including police, firefighters, and paramedics, were called to the scenes. By the time they arrived, the damage was extensive, leaving smouldering buses in their wake. Police have since opened multiple cases, including malicious damage to property, attempted murder, and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm,” he confirmed.
Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, Acting Provincial Commissioner of SAPS in Mpumalanga, expressed outrage at the attacks. “This incident appears to have been well-orchestrated. A dedicated team of investigators has been assembled to work around the clock to uncover why this was done. We are confident that arrests will be made soon,” he said.
DEEPER MOTIVE
The attacks appear deliberate, and the level of coordination suggests a deeper motive. But police are keeping their theories close to the chest.
This was not the first time a Putco bus went up in flames. In March last year, it was reported that a Putco bus caught alight on Moloto Road on route to Pretoria. At least 22 people were injured during this incident and many could be seen trying to escape for their lives by jumping out the bus’s windows.
The latest attacks come at a significant cost, not only to the bus company but to the communities that rely on public transport. For many in Mpumalanga, these buses are a lifeline, providing affordable and reliable access to work, school, and other essential services.
In its official statement, the Putco management urged its passengers in the Moloto, Wolwekraal, Vaalbank and Siyabuswa areas to make alternative transport arrangements for 28 January 2025.
Putco said it did not at this stage know who it was that orchestrated these attacks or what their motive might be.
All the bus company confirmed was that two of employees were attacked, and one was in a critical condition in hospital.
“We appeal for patience as our operations team is considering ways to avoid a prolonged inconvenience to commuters. Putco will inform the passengers as soon as there are any updates,” the company said.
COULD IT BE TIED TO INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES, RIVALRY, OR ORGANISED CRIME? SHARE YOUR THEORIES ON THIS VICIOUS CRIME WITH US.
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