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Pretoria - Two trucks were burnt near the Irene train station in Tshwane on Thursday and about 28 people arrested as the road freight strike entered its fourth day.
No settlement was reached after talks between unions and the Road Freight Employers' Association (RFEA) on Wednesday.
The strike of about 65 000 workers, according to the unions, has thus far been marred by violence and intimidation.
Pretoria police spokesperson Warrant Officer Duane Lightfoot said the strikers arrived at the Irene train station and went to Botha Avenue, where they forced the two trucks off the road and looted them.
They then set the vehicles on fire.
Police arrested 28 people who were taken to the Lyttelton police station. They would be charged with arson and attempted murder and were due to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court soon.
Earlier, along Botha street in Irene, as the two trucks burned, police fanned out in a nearby field looking for the perpetrators.
The strikers fled after setting the vehicles alight. A police helicopter hovered overhead as heavily armed police officers scoured the area.
Meanwhile, a commuter at the Irene train station was beaten, allegedly by striking workers. He was also robbed.
The man said he pleaded with his attackers, telling them that he was not a truck driver when they asked him why he was going to work.
The strike began with a go-slow on Sunday, but workers across the country downed tools on Monday. The unions - the Transport and Allied Workers Union of SA, the Professional Transport Workers Union, the SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union, and the Motor Transport Workers Union - are demanding a 10% increase for 2011 and 10% for 2012.
The RFEA upped its offer of 7.5% for each of the two years and on Wednesday upped its offer to 8% across the board and 9% for cash-in-transit guards.
Unions were expected to meet with RFEA representatives again on Thursday.
No settlement was reached after talks between unions and the Road Freight Employers' Association (RFEA) on Wednesday.
The strike of about 65 000 workers, according to the unions, has thus far been marred by violence and intimidation.
Pretoria police spokesperson Warrant Officer Duane Lightfoot said the strikers arrived at the Irene train station and went to Botha Avenue, where they forced the two trucks off the road and looted them.
They then set the vehicles on fire.
Police arrested 28 people who were taken to the Lyttelton police station. They would be charged with arson and attempted murder and were due to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court soon.
Earlier, along Botha street in Irene, as the two trucks burned, police fanned out in a nearby field looking for the perpetrators.
The strikers fled after setting the vehicles alight. A police helicopter hovered overhead as heavily armed police officers scoured the area.
Meanwhile, a commuter at the Irene train station was beaten, allegedly by striking workers. He was also robbed.
The man said he pleaded with his attackers, telling them that he was not a truck driver when they asked him why he was going to work.
The strike began with a go-slow on Sunday, but workers across the country downed tools on Monday. The unions - the Transport and Allied Workers Union of SA, the Professional Transport Workers Union, the SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union, and the Motor Transport Workers Union - are demanding a 10% increase for 2011 and 10% for 2012.
The RFEA upped its offer of 7.5% for each of the two years and on Wednesday upped its offer to 8% across the board and 9% for cash-in-transit guards.
Unions were expected to meet with RFEA representatives again on Thursday.
