N3 outside Harrismith reopened after truck driver protest. Image: The Citizen
(The Post News)- On November 11, 2024, South African truck drivers blocked the streets to demand fairer employment processes and higher compensation.
According to the drivers, the hiring of immigrants undermines local jobs and wages, and to protest it, they parked their trucks in a convoy. The shutdown focused on the N3 between Durban Harbour and Johannesburg and the N2 from Richards Bay Harbour, affecting Kwazulu-Natal provinces.
All Truck Drivers Forum and Allied South Africa (ATDF-ASA) is a South African organization that promotes the rights and interests of truck drivers. They concentrate on employment practices, pay disputes, working conditions, regulatory compliance, and negotiations with government representatives. Sfundiso Beja, ATDF-ASA Deputy Secretary, shared that this has been going on for too long and has since called on the government to step in to set policies that require local drivers to be prioritized and prevent illegal hiring, as reported by TimesLive.
While the ATDF-ASA did not officially participate in this specific shutdown, Secretary-General Gugu Sokhela explained to the SABC that while his organization is aligned with the drivers’ frustrations, they will not participate in this strike due to poor coordination with the organizers. Sokhela underlined that the strike’s issues are profound since they face other obstacles from enterprises that are not even complying with bargaining council norms because they operate freely, setting pay at their own discretion.
TimesLive also reported that police were dispatched on to clear blockades that brought traffic to a halt on the N3 near Harrismith, where a truck had been used to obstruct the route. Authorities acted quickly to restore order, with police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele stating that the truck had been impounded and the driver detained.
Beja stressed that a clear government policy could bring relief to South African drivers who feel overlooked in their own country. “There must be rules saying South African drivers come first,” he said, noting that foreign hires should only occur when workers hold proper documentation and work permits.
About the Author
