‘No foreigners’ demands ATDF
Speaking to Steelburger/Lydenburg News on Monday, chief commander of ATDF, Cosmos Shoba said they had been engaging with truck owners nationwide to hire local drivers. He also claimed that South African truck drivers were subjected to humiliation, exploitation and poor salaries by trucking companies.
STEELPOORT – More than 300 trucks were taken off the road by members of the All Truck Drivers Foundation (ATDF) last Friday.
The trucks were kept at Ecsal Truck Stop, just next to Dwarsrivier Chrome Mine (DCM). Since midnight last Friday, there were fewer trucks operating in the Steelpoort area and some parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga.\
Trucks confiscated belong to Reinhardt Transport, Impungele Logistics, Nida, Jabula, Heymans Kole, Chrome Carriers, Amalgamated Bulk, Transmac and other companies. The drivers’ identity documents were checked to verify that they were South African before they were herded into the truck stop.
Speaking to Steelburger/Lydenburg News on Monday, chief commander of ATDF, Cosmos Shoba said they had been engaging with truck owners nationwide to hire local drivers. He also claimed that South African truck drivers were subjected to humiliation, exploitation and poor salaries by trucking companies.
“We decided to take them off our roads from Friday, as they were not responding to our demands. In May, we spoke to some of the companies, but they ignored our advice to hire South Africans.
“We want locals to be hired, not foreigners. We know driving a truck is not a scarce skill in South Africa, so why are they going as far as Zimbabwe and Mozambique and not hiring South Africans?
“We agreed with ministers that only South Africans have to be hired for driving jobs. If they don’t want to employ us, then they must run their companies in those countries.”
Last Friday, the organisation took about 325 trucks off the roads. “We had a meeting with some of the truck owners on Sunday and they agreed that they will start hiring locals. We gave them 30 days to fulfil their promises. If they don’t, we will embark on another protest,” added Shoba.
ATDF has since resolved to allow the trucks to operate on one condition – “no foreigner is seen driving them”.
The trucks were released from approximately 12:00 on Monday as trucking companies and ATDF continued talks over their demands.
In a statement released by Reinhardt Transport Group’s chief operating officer, Houston McMillan, on Monday, he indicated that his company only employs 17 per cent foreign drivers (178).
“The ultimatum for the company to remove the foreign drivers is clear and understood, but has many hurdles along the way and the company will have to seek legal opinion on the way forward and options available. In the meantime the company will start testing for alternative drivers to be seen as a proactive plan.”
According to Steelburger/Lydenburg News’ sister publication, Lowvelder, truck owners remarked that the detention of the drivers holds severe implications for the economy. Industry representatives, fearing attacks on their drivers, said it is tantamount to hijacking.
“Over the years, we have employed about five or six foreign nationals who have become like family,” they continued. “They also have families to support. We cannot just let them go, especially considering that the ATDF is not even registered with the Bargaining Council.
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“We also conduct a high volume of cross-border transportation of goods to neighbouring countries. What happens a few years down the line when South African drivers have to drive across the border and are attacked in those countries?”
Steelburger/Lydenburg News understands that there is a nationwide trucks stoppage planned for September 2 by ATDF. The organisation warned that there would be no movement, locally or long distance, of light- or heavy-duty trucks nationally, and no trucks from neighbouring countries will be allowed to enter or leave South Africa.
