By Kaya 959 Reporter
Twelve truck drivers have been arrested following Friday’s truck protest that blocked part of the N3 between Johannesburg and Durban.
Officials have charged the truckers with economic sabotage and intimidation. Truck drivers parked their trucks across the N3 freeway from Van Reenen’s Pass in both directions from 3am.
KwaZulu-Natal SAPS spokesperson, Brigadier Jay Naicker, said the drivers alighted from their vehicles causing traffic to come to a standstill for the entire day.
Naicker said the suspects had taken the keys of some of the trucks rendering them immovable for a long period of time.
He said specialised units from throughout the province were mobilised and also assisted in getting the trucks moved out of the road.
“Twelve truck drivers, whose vehicles were obstructing the flow of traffic and who defied instructions by police officials to remove their trucks were subsequently arrested,” Naicker said.
Naicker said the 12 have also been charged for contravention of the Criminal Law Amendment Act – Infrastructure contravention and contravention of the Road Traffic Act.
According to the N3 Toll Concession, officials managed to clear the freeway by 8pm.
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R13,7 million lost per day
The suspects will appear in the Ladysmith Magistrates Court on Monday.
Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC CEO, Palesa Phili, says protests put the entire value chain at risk.
“If these protest actions persist, it will impact the entire value chain from trucking companies to the receiving businesses.”
She said continuous congestion, road closures, and safety concerns along the N3 create uncertainty and delays in freight turnaround times.
This creates additional costs for businesses, Phili said.
According to Durban EDGE, the logistics sector loses millions when it is not fully operational due to the blocking of key corridors such as N3, N2 and M7.
It estimates that the sector loses an estimated R800 million per month or R13,7 million per day.
“We condemn this disruptive behaviour and call for urgent intervention,” Phili said.
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