Last month saw the launch of a new truck stop in Mkondeni, Kwazulu-Natal, providing a much-needed facility between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
Located on the corner of Sats Street and Shortts Retreat Road and clearly visible from the Ashburton section of the N3, it provides a safe and convenient space where large vehicles can park and refuel and where truck drivers can buy food– away from the residential streets.
With space for up to 30 vehicles and up to 22 metres in size, the new stop will have a 24-hour store for easy access to food and beverages, a lounge area so truckers don’t have to eat in their vehicles, and a shower and change room facility for drivers to refresh after a long journey.
It’s a joint venture by the AY Moola Family Trust and Total SA.
The N3 highway remains one of South Africa’s largest truck-delivery lifelines, and while there are rest stops for truck drivers along the 579km route, there appeared to be a gap between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, according to Ahmed Moola, the trust’s site developer.
“There’s an ongoing challenge,” he said. “There is a massive amount of maize deliveries in and out of Pietermaritzburg, but there’s no parking in the area. Trucks parking for extended periods in these areas are creating potholes, causing other damage to roads, blocking the streets and creating traffic backlogs, particularly in the residential area, Hayfields.”
Even amid the current Covid-19 pandemic, Moola said the stop would continue to expand, with a truck washing service on the cards within the next few months.
