A wave of hijackings and thefts targeting the Eastern Cape Department of Transport’s yellow fleet is crippling road repairs and worsening the already dire state of rural infrastructure across the province.
This year, at least six vehicles, including tipper trucks and a truck-mounted crane, were hijacked or stripped while workers were carrying out repairs in areas like Cala, Cofimvaba and Elliotdale. In one brazen attack, transport employees were forced to abandon their vehicle and flee for safety as gunmen opened fire on the R61 between Qamata and Cofimvaba. In another, workers were tied up and robbed of tyres while repairing roads in Cala.
These incidents have far-reaching consequences for rural communities that rely on road access for school, hospital visits and economic opportunity. When workers are too afraid to return to sites, and repairs are suspended for weeks due to stolen or damaged equipment, residents are left isolated and at risk
The Democratic Alliance is concerned that these attacks may be linked to construction mafias that have increasingly targeted infrastructure projects across South Africa. The pattern of violent interference suggests a coordinated effort to undermine state-led service delivery and force outsourcing.
The department has confirmed that attacks have already cost over R200,000 in 2025, with losses extending to outsourced vehicles. Despite vehicles being equipped with tracking units, criminals are still managing to disable both primary and backup systems, raising serious questions about internal security lapses and potential collusion.
The 2024 Roads Infrastructure Report by the South African Human Rights Commission found that only 9 per cent of Eastern Cape roads are surfaced and that poor road conditions are infringing on residents’ constitutional rights. These attacks threaten the lives of workers and directly deny communities their right to safe infrastructure and basic dignity.
I will be tabling parliamentary questions to the Department of Transport to request a full account of these incidents. This must include the financial cost, recovery timelines, any known syndicate links, steps taken to prevent further losses, and whether there is evidence of internal collusion.
Public trust is eroded each time the state fails to protect its workers or its infrastructure. The people of the Eastern Cape deserve functioning roads, safe communities and a government that responds decisively to criminal sabotage.
The DA remains committed to building a province where infrastructure serves people, not syndicates. The people of the Eastern Cape deserve leadership that delivers, and a future built on dignity, opportunity and honest government.