By: Natasha Archary
Four men have been arrested for the illegal N3 blockade that brought the busiest route to and from KwaZulu-Natal to a halt on Thursday, 16 June.
Disgruntled truck drivers were protesting against the employment of foreign nationals in the industry.
While the N3 highway has since been reopened, motorists were diverted onto rough gravel roads from Bergview through to Ladysmith yesterday.
The blockade is being called economic sabotage as the blockade and recent truck driver protests have put the supply chain under attack.
Drivers have been protesting over the past week, with several trucks set alight on the N3 before the Mooi River Toll Plaza on Monday, 13 June.
Other key logistic routes including Mpumalanga, across the Northern Cape – the N17, N11, N2, R59, and R74 have experienced similar scenarios in recent days.
The Road Freight Association has sent President Cyril Ramaphosa a letter requesting his urgent intervention.
CEO Gavin Kelly said if these protests continue, the effect on livelihoods and the road freight industry will be in jeopardy.
“The economic impact – initially felt and carried/absorbed by all the transporters stuck on the various routes – is not only enormous (we have already lost around R25 million in truck operating costs), but will cripple many of our smaller operators (88% of our members are SMMEs), will have a knock-on effect on all other industry sectors (from manufacturing to retail), [and] will result in penalties for late delivery, damaged goods, contract breach and even loss of business and thereby, unemployment.”
Gavin Kelly on the truck drivers protests
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