Police Minister Bheki Cele has parachuted in to quell the rampant civil disobedience which prompted the closure of the N3 at the Mooi River Toll Plaza on Monday.

Police have been engaged in running battles with mobs of looters who effectively closed the national freeway on one of the busiest weekends of the year.

Trucks were looted and burned on both the N3 and the adjacent R103 from the early hours of the morning.

According to a statement issued by Cele’s office‚ he and top cop brass has “urgently attended” to the Mooi River protest.

“This follows reports of looting and major traffic delay caused by hundreds of protesters from the nearby settlement who are blocking the N3 northbound and southbound‚ R103 and R62 near Mooi River Toll Plaza‚ which resulted in chaos and disorder on the national road this morning.

“Police operations are already underway to manage the chaotic situation in Mooi River. The Public Order Unit of the SAPS is already on site‚” the statement said.

Motorists have been advised to use alternative routes.