Truck strike action continues in the Eastern Cape as trucks are still gathered on the N9 in Middleburg blocking the roads for fellow truck drivers.
According to Unathi Binqose, spokesperson for Eastern Cape Transport, many trucks are being blocked against their will. He suggests that trucks that are not part of the strike find alternate routes.
Binqose says, “There is still high visibility of trucks on the N9 in Middleburg. What is clear is that not all of them are there by choice, some find themselves being trapped there and seemingly no trucks are being allowed to pass the N9 in Middleburg.”
“So if you are a truck driver and you are listening to this, and you are not part of the strike action rather avoid that town completely. Another concerning factor is that some are refrigerated, meaning they are carrying perishable goods destined for markets. Sooner or later, you the consumer will feel the pinch of that, especially in the areas of Gqeberha.”
Threats
Last week, the cross-border transport organisation, African Unite Borders Bus Trucks Association (AUBBTA) distanced itself from the threatened strike by truck drivers.
Drivers are protesting against companies employing more foreign nationals than locals and have threatened to blockade most major roads.
Chairperson of the African Unite Borders Bus Trucks Association, Phumudzo Mukhwathi said, “We’re not going to embark on a protest because you’ll remember that our association we’re not local only, we also represent even cross-border trucks and buses within the SADC region. It was going to be understandable if they are saying only trucks which are driving locally. They must not generalise to say all the trucks, because this is going to affect the trucks within the continent, and from our point of view we are objecting, and we’re not going to be part of that protest because this is going to fuel the violence such as xenophobia.”
