The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) is on “high alert”, monitoring the situation on roads across the country following the national truck drivers’ stayaway.
Roads affected by the stayaway include the N2 near Richards Bay and the M2 and M1 South in Johannesburg, which trucks had blockaded, as well as the N3/N12 Geldenhuys Interchange.
National SAPS spokeswoman, Colonel Athlenda Mathe, said on Tuesday that Natjoints remained “on high alert, monitoring the situation” after the two-day stayaway that ended on Monday.
“Law enforcement agencies have heightened visibility to guard against acts of criminality. No major incidents were reported by provinces, except in Witbank, Mpumalanga,” said Mathe.
She said police were investigating a case of malicious damage to property after a truck was set alight on Masakhana Duvha road in Witbank.
“On Saturday a group of men forced the truck driver to stop along this road at about 6pm. The truck driver fled the scene on foot and the group proceeded to set it alight. Police are on a manhunt for those behind the attack.”
Mathe said she was still busy co-ordinating feedback regarding the stayaway from provincial structures, at the time of publication.
SAPS KZN spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala, said several arrests had been made in KZN. “We can confirm that this morning, Richards Bay police arrested five suspects aged between 30 and 56 who were intimidating truck drivers," said Gwala.
All Truck Drivers Forum (ATDF) general secretary, Sifiso Nyathi, distanced the organisation from the violent protests and reports of trucks being pulled over, saying that its members had merely embarked on a stayaway and not a full-blown protest.
“We started on Sunday with not driving the trucks. We parked in the yards and depots and truck stops.
“Only 20% of trucks were moving on Sunday; about 80% were parked.
“We thank those employers who complied with us for their co-operation, especially members of the Road Freight Association,” Nyathi said.
However, ATDF organiser, Zwakele Magwaza, earlier told Times Live that he did not know how many trucks had been pulled over into truck stops near Richards Bay and prevented from travelling to their destinations.
Nyathi said the stayaway had gone “well”.
“There was no violence and no blockage, although near Kimberley trucks were turned away to the truck stop but no one was hurt.
“No one was looting and burning trucks, which is good,” he said.
Nyathi said ATDF members had handed its memorandum of demands – which included a call for a ban on foreign truck drivers and for the strict enforcement of labour laws, especially the payment of minimum wages – to the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry in Boland, Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg.
He said ATDF had given the bargaining council seven days to respond to the memorandum.
He alleged that government officials had been taking bribes to allow fly-by-night truck firms to operate in the country.
