The wrecked shells of long-haul trucks were being cleared on Monday morning after violent protests along the N3 freeway near the Mooi River toll plaza on Sunday night.
Angry protesters set alight trucks and shut down the N3 highway in Mooi River on the KwaZulu Natal midlands #FirstTakeSA #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/jca9jhMyN0
— First Take SA #FirstTakeSA ?? (@FirstTakeSA) April 30, 2018
The protests started early afternoon on Sunday, after a group of people began throwing objects on the N3 freeway and set some trucks alight.
According to reports, the violence was apparently in response to the employment of foreign nationals as truck drivers. In a tweet, SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said "unscrupulous bosses" should be blamed instead:
It is the greedy employers generating feelings of xenophobia by deliberately sidelining local workers and preferring foreign nationals. Anger must be redirected to these unscrupulous bosses not fellow workers! @News24 https://t.co/P1SyyTatOC
— Zwelinzima Vavi (@Zwelinzima1) April 30, 2018
According to Morné Venter, Car Towing Services, the trucks are moved to the side of the road to clear the freeway for traffic.
The damaged trucks are expected to be removed later during the week.
A total of 35 trucks were damaged, including those that were set alight.
Fifty-four people have been arrested in connection with the damage, which included looting.
Traffic traffic on the N3 was diverted to the R103, but parts of the freeway near Mooi River were reopened on Monday morning.
Some of the damaged trucks are still being removed. The KZN transport department says the N3 is partially reopened. #MooiRiver pic.twitter.com/39TH2z8pJa
— Dasen Thathiah (@DasenThathiah) April 30, 2018
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