The intention of the Department of Transport (DoT) to “decisively deal” with disruption on the N3, N1, and N4 resulted in outright failure by dissidents to follow through on threats to sow havoc on highways over the Easter weekend. This followed after Transport Minister Blade
Ndzimande last Thursday issued a statement instructing law enforcement agencies to arrest anyone responsible for interfering with the government’s road safety strategies. Ndzimande’s words of warning provided some initial comfort, particularly as the N3 started filling up with holiday-makers heading down to the coast
for the long weekend. And yet, as the minister joined law enforcers on the N1 north, loaded with Zionist worshippers on their annual pilgrimage to Moria in Polokwane, disgruntled coal miners torched at least six trucks and an Eskom bakkie near Hendrina in Mpumalanga. It immediately fuelled fears of the truck burning
on the N3, for which the country’s busiest highway has become infamous. Thankfully, increased visibility by police and traffic officials on the country’s roads, and possibly the unintended effect that torrential rain had on volumes on the highways, substantially eased reckless driving and thwarted threatened acts of violence.
As for so-called planned protest action, especially by the All Truck Drivers’ Foundation (ATDF) who on various occasions have claimed responsibility for violent opposition to transporters employing foreign nationals, their threats amounted to nothing. “Perhaps the DoT has finally taken heed of what we have been saying all along,” said Gavin Kelly, acting head of the Road Freight Association, in response to a question about government’s strong-arm stance ahead of the Easter weekend. “We have been saying for a long time that the ATDF is not a recognised association. They are not officially recognised by or affiliated to any of the unions. They don’t represent anyone.” He added that the RFA respected the impression that the DoT seemed to finally be denying the ATDF legitimacy. “The ATDF should not be granted a platform to voice itself. They don’t have a mandate and the fact that they have reneged on recent agreements made with the minister goes to show that they are not
really interested in seeking progressive solutions to their grievances.” Ndzimande himself last week stated that it was “disingenuous of the ATDF to go ahead with planned shutdowns of the country’s highways given earlier agreements” about transportrelated labour issues. Although final fatality figures for the long weekend had not been released at the time of going to press, Kelly said there were a couple of incidents but none of them were because of planned protest action. Earlier this week it also seemed that South Africa’s Easter weekend road death toll will show a decrease in fatal accidents compared with last year’s shocking statistics when more than 500 people died on the country’s roads.
We have been saying for a long time that the ATDF is not a recognised association. They are not officially recognised by or affiliated to any of the unions. They don’t represent anyone. “ – Gavin Kelly
