truck drivers | Radio 94.7 FM

The newly appointed Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, says that unscrupulous transport operators and illegal foreign national truck drivers are to blame for the recent spate of violence.

For local truck drivers, 2019 has proven to be the deadliest and most dangerous period on the roads in recent history. In the last 18 weeks alone, over 200 truck drivers have been subject to violent attacks – some resulting in fatalities – while more than 2000 vehicles have been damaged by illegal blockades, stoning and arson.

Truck attacks wreak havoc on the roads
The nationwide situation has rapidly deteriorated into unmitigated chaos on South African highways, with drivers fearing for their lives every time they get behind the wheel. In an attempt to quell the rampant destruction, government has sanctioned the formation of an inter-ministerial task team, comprising of Transport and Police – the latter, led by Minister Bheki Cele.

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Rocks being hurled directly at truck drivers is “something new” as a spate of attacks on the “soft targets” plays out on the country’s roads – some of them deadly.

That was the warning sounded by Road Freight Association (RFA) CEO Gavin Kelly on Wednesday, as reports of more rock-throwing and looting incidents emerged.

“Throwing rocks or stones from overhead bridges is something new. We’ve had rocks packed on the road or roads being closed off to bring the truck to a standstill and then burnt. But these incidents now are attacks directly on the driver,” Kelly said.

“One can compare it to what happened in the 80s and the 90s. There is a lot.”

Road Freight Association reports and in accordance their database, 320 people – nearly one person a day on average – died in the road freight industry over the past year due to crime or violent service delivery protests.