Truck drivers vow to continue protest action until government officials address them

Striking truck drivers who have blockaded the N12 road between Bloemhof and Wolmaranstad in the North West have vowed to continue with their action until government officials, including Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, address them.

The road, linking Johannesburg and Cape Town, has been closed since Tuesday. Truck drivers are protesting against the employment of foreign nationals by some local companies.

“In South Africa, there are 80 % foreign nationals dominating the truck industry. Now these people are not mad, these are old people but when we are talking they are taking us as fools. But drivers are fed up now because employers are still employing foreigners. When you come to South Africans, it does not matter how much experience you have, whether you have PDP or not, they put your CV aside,” says Sfiso Nyathi, Spokesperson for the striking drivers.

Nyathi says truck drivers have vowed to continue with the protest until government officials, including Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, addresses them.

VIDEO: Striking truck drivers block the N12 in North West 
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Impact on businesses

This action by truck drivers has negatively impacted on the local economy of the Bloemhof town.

“This is an unforeseen circumstance, it’s something that we did not predict and we did not prepare for. But economically this thing is affecting us heavily because there is no movement in town. But it’s really a bad situation for us because all private cars are being re-directed to use other routes to Gauteng or Kimberley. So as results our businesses in town are suffering,” Lekwa-Teemane municipal mayor, Sebang Motlhabi explains.

Motlhabi says they have contacted the relevant authorities to come and intervene on the matter, and hoping that the impasse will be addressed soon. Traffic and police officers are monitoring the strike.