Note to editors: Please find attached English and Ndebele soundbites by Thamsanqa Mabhena MP.
The DA strongly condemns the deliberate and coordinated attack on PUTCO bus depots in Mpumalanga on Monday, 27 January 2025, where criminals torched multiple buses and caused significant damage to essential transport infrastructure.
This was not a random act of vandalism but an organised crime operation, with simultaneous attacks on depots in Vaalbank, Moloto, Siyabuswa, and Wolwekraal. The failure of crime intelligence agencies to anticipate and prevent this attack raises serious questions about the state’s ability to safeguard critical infrastructure.
The Moloto R573 road is one of the country’s busiest bus routes, serving approximately 60,000 passengers daily. This act of sabotage is not only a direct attack on commuters and workers but also a blow to our country’s fragile economy. Many matriculants and prospective students who rely on these buses to register at institutions of higher learning are now at risk of missing out on vital opportunities.
The DA calls on the MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Jackie Macie, to act swiftly in ensuring that those responsible are apprehended. We also urge the Minister of Transport to collaborate with the Gauteng Department of Transport, which issues the bus contracts. They must provide alternative transport options and minimize the disruption caused to workers, job seekers, students, and matriculants.
There can be no tolerance for such brazen criminality, especially when it disproportionately affects the poorest and most vulnerable in society.