Police and traffic officers are deployed along the busy N3 to monitor the highway following Friday’s blockade of the route at Van Reenen’s Pass and Tugela in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
The truck drivers have complained about the employment of foreign drivers in South Africa and say they are being prioritised over locals.
They say some of the foreign national truck drivers do not have the necessary papers to operate.
Law enforcement agencies worked throughout the night to open the road after a stretch of kilometres of the N3 remained closed for the better part of Friday.
President of the South African Cargo Transport Drivers Association, Daniel Mofokeng, accused the government of doing nothing about the high unemployment rate.
“Who is actually causing the high unemployment rate? It is these foreigners and now the government is also standing on their side whereas we are raising genuine issues. These people are even driving without valid permits and licences and our government is doing nothing about that. You know how many positions have been declared redundant because of the foreigners? Because once a foreigner has been employed, they can multi-task, my brother. Now we don’t have people as assistants. That is what is happening there in the KZN area. These people are getting many and many in the industry,” says Mofokeng.
Brigadier Jay Naicker on N3 truck blockade
