WATCH | Residents, motorists loot overturned truck in EC
Motorists helped themselves to food products from a truck that overturned on the N6 between Cathcart and Stutterheim on Thursday morning.
Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose confirmed the incident and said traffic had been partially affected. “Motorists are going for what is in the truck. Traffic flow has been hindered but it’s not completely closed,” said Binqose.
A motorist at the scene, Richard Judge, said police were seen loitering around while a crowd looted food items from the truck.
“The police were at the scene and the public were cleaning the truck. They even allowed a bakkie to reverse against the flow of traffic to load items into the car. I asked the police why they weren’t doing anything and they said there is nothing they can do.”
In a video sent to DispatchLIVE, motorists can be seen carrying big bags of meali-meal, samp and rice while police looked on and walked away from them.
Police spokesperson captain Siphokazi Mawisa said a case of reckless and negligent driving was opened for investigation. “Police attended an accident at about 6am on the N6 and when they arrived on the scene, a crowd of community members was taking groceries from the truck. Backup was called to assist.”
When asked why the police did not do anything to stop the crowd, Mawisa said “members who went to the scene were under the impression [that they] were attending a normal accident and on their arrival they found a crowd of community members looting from the truck. They tried to stop them but it was impossible as the crowd was all over the scene and they called for back up to assist.”..
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