ATDF vows to continue disruption of trucking services this Sunday
The organisation feels that local drivers have been sidelined and demand that trucking companies release foreign drivers in their employ.
MBOMBELA – The planned disruption of trucking services across the country on Sunday is set to go ahead. According to All Truck Drivers Foundation’s (ATDF) chief commander, Cosmos Shoba, they will halt all trucking operations in the country.
“The strike will go ahead as planned until all our demands are met,” he said.
This follows last weekend’s action, in which members confiscated trucks off national roads. Near Lydenburg, more than 300 trucks were forcibly taken off the roads and parked at a truck stop at Dwarsrivier. ADTF representatives entered into talks on Wednesday with Mpumalanga trucking companies in the coal haulage industry to discuss their grievances.
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They are demanding that no foreigners be employed by South African trucking companies and that a training centre be opened for local drivers in the next three months.
“We met on Wednesday and they proposed that 40 per cent of their drivers be foreign nationals, leaving 60 per cent South African drivers.
“We disagreed on that score, because we demand that all drivers employed by these companies be South African.”
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According to Shoba, the coal hauling companies eventually agreed to remove all foreign drivers from their employ in the next three months and to set up a training centre.
“We demand that a training centre be set up to teach South African tuckers how to reverse correctly. At the moment, a large number of drivers fail the test because of their inability to reverse the trucks.”
However, Shoba explained that the disruption will continue indefinitely until government intervenes. The anticipated shutdown has trucking companies fearing for the safety of their drivers. Lisa Nel from Lonhro Logistics confirmed to Lowvelder that all precautions are being taken to protect their drivers from violence.
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“We are in possession of three letters threatening violence against any drivers found working on Sunday. To this end, we have instructed our drivers to stay off the roads,” she said.
Trans African Concessions (TRAC), also cautioned in a statement that drivers travelling along the N4 Toll Route over the weekend should be careful.
“In view of this, we advise all those in the industry to take extra precaution when driving on the N4 Toll Route this weekend. We also recommend that no trucks be parked near TRAC facilities such as plazas and load control centres to avoid any possibility of damage to our property.
“We also urge all protesters to obey the law and refrain from partaking in any criminal activity.”
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Mpumalanga police spokesman, Brig Leonard Hlathi said police visibility would be stepped up and more police will be deployed along major routes.
“We will be manning all the entrance and exit routes and our focus will be more on the N11 as well as Ermelo and the N4. Even though the R40 didn’t give us problems previously, we are going to deploy our members to monitor this route.”
Reinhardt Transport Group and Ni-Da Transport, whose trucks numbered in the majority of the “confiscated” trucks over the weekend, did not respond to Lowvelder’s questions at the time of going to press.
Who is the ATDF?
It is not a registered trade union, but a non-profit organisation. According to Shoba, it was founded in September 2013 by disgruntled truck drivers who felt sidelined in favour of foreign nationals. Shoba explains that trade unions only cater to paying members who are employed. He said the ATDF has identified the challenges faced by South African truck drivers and its “membership” extends to all truck drivers, irrespective of their employment status
