Truck operators have had enough and are heading to court over the ongoing impounding of trucks in Harrismith in KwaZulu-Natal in what they describe as nothing more than legalised extortion. Not only are operators fined for illegally parking in the municipality surrounds but trucks are also impounded for illegal parking resulting in several thousands of rands having to be forked out to get trucks out of the pound. According to Gavin Kelly, spokesman for the Road Freight Association (RFA), the situation is out of hand and legal advice is being taken on the matter. “What is happening in Harrismith is either just a blatant abuse of power or a very real misunderstanding of regulation,” he said. “An operator is heftily fined for parking illegally, a charge which in itself is debatable, but at the same time the truck is also impounded because it was parked there. So the operator has to pay a fee to have the truck released.” He said costs were often in the region of up to R5000 per vehicle. “It is a very heavy- handed manner of dealing with a parking offence, but we also believe they are operating out of their mandate as they are imposing a fine and impounding the vehicle for one offence.” Kelly said the parking spaces deemed illegal by the municipality were also being questioned as it would seem that anywhere a truck parked was illegal whether there was signage or not. “We have in the past week consulted with our legal team and the matter is being taken forward in an effort to find a solution.”
