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The violent incident left two employees injured – one was shot in the leg, and another was struck on the head with a chair.
Sixteen buses at the Moloto Putco bus depot in KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga are seen, 28 January 2024, after being torched overnight. The torching was part of an orchestrated campaign where 51 buses were torched overnight across four depot in Mpumalanga. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen
Two more suspects have been arrested in connection with the torching of 51 Putco buses at four depots in Mpumalanga.
Two weeks ago, a fleet of Putco was set alight at the company’s depots in the Nkangala District Municipality.
The violent incident left two employees injured – one was shot in the leg, and another was struck on the head with a chair.
Arrest
Tuesday’s arrest of the suspects aged 31 and 33 brings the total number of arrested suspects to four.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli said the two were arrested at Siyabuswa.
Mdhluli said the suspects have been charged with malicious damage to property.
“The arrests by the assigned team were made as part of an ongoing investigation into the incident that occurred on 28 January 2025, where several Putco buses were set on fire in Nkangala District.”
He said the suspects are believed to have been involved in the coordinated attack on the bus fleet, causing significant damage to the vehicles and posing a threat to public safety.
ALSO READ: Torching of Putco buses ‘economic sabotage’, Creecy says
“Both suspects are scheduled to appear at the Mdutjane Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 12 February 2025. It is expected that further details regarding their involvement in the crime will be revealed during the court proceedings.”
‘Economic sabotage’
The acting provincial commissioner of the Saps in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr.) Zeph Mkhwanazi, welcomed the arrest and the progress made thus far.
“The team is working diligently to ensure that all individuals involved in the case are held accountable for their actions. The arrest of these two additional suspects is a significant step towards achieving justice and maintaining law and order in the province.”
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy last month condemned the torching of the Putco buses, labelling the act as “economic sabotage.”
Creecy said the bus industry plays a vital role in the mobility of the workforce in the country.
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