The All Truck Drivers’ Association (ATDF), a group formed to protect employment opportunities for local drivers and which has often been associated with violent vigilantism, has distanced itself from a new spate of threats aimed at South African transport companies.
In an interview with Freight News, ATDF chairperson Mr Ngwenya – he wouldn’t divulge his first name – said the association was not behind a July 7 ultimatum that had been issued urging hauliers to replace foreign national drivers with local people.
“It’s not us,” he said.
This is despite the fact that the ATDF last week issued a letter on official stationery, bearing the name of Ngwenya and three other officials, giving local trucking companies seven days to “get rid of foreign national drivers”.
In another ATDF letter, also bearing the name of Ngwenya and the same three officials, local transporters are implored to adhere to “Immigration Act No 13 of 2002” and the “Employment Services Act No 4 of 2014”.
Although it initially purports to be reasonable in its intent, the letter eventually states: “As South African truck drivers we are no longer going to tolerate this nonsense of non-compliance by South African trucking companies.
“We demand that all foreigners driving South African trucks be removed and replaced by the South African citizens.”
It continues to unequivocally state that jobs in the local transport sector should be reserved for South Africans.
Subsequent to the ATDF’s initial letters circulated to industry, another letter was sent out containing the exact same wording as the first but including the July 7 ultimatum.
In addition to the wording it shares with the initial letter, it says: “Enough is enough! No Movement! We are South African drivers of this country and yet we are not recognised and we are not represented. The government of this country and truck employers underestimate us and treat us like animals and we are tired of that because no one is listening to our concerns.”
It continues to include the same stance around no longer tolerating “this nonsense of non-compliance”.
Ngwenya, however, denies that the ATDF is behind the letters.
Asked to respond to his organisation’s alleged involvement in past attacks on trucks in South Africa, often leading to loss of life and destruction of property, Ngwenya requested to meet with Freight News.
“We just want what is right for drivers from this country,” he said.
Although the letters on which this report is based were sent to Ngwenya for his comment, he did not respond at the time Freight News started posting today’s content.
In the meantime South Africa’s freight industry, hit hard in the past by violent xenophobic attacks on the country’s roads, are viewing the ATDF’s threats with a sense of trepidation.
Gavin Kelly, chief executive officer of the Road freight Association (RFA), said groups like the ATDF had a legitimate concern that not all South African transport companies followed the rules and regulations of employment.
Yet they have no right to force operators, including those whose foreign national staff hold permits issued by the Department of Labour, to dismiss people based on nationality or face the consequences.
