The Zambian government has issued a travel advisory – warning its truck drivers to avoid travelling on South Africa’s major routes on Sunday and Monday.
Reports of a nationwide truck strike – starting on Sunday – is being circulated on social media platforms.
The Zambian High Commission in Pretoria says they’ve received reports from foreign truck drivers – who claim to have been threatened with violence ahead of the planned strike action.
One Zimbabwean truck driver, from the SADC Truck Drivers’ Association, has circulated the following message on social media platforms…
“There will be a countrywide truck stoppage in SA where no truck, and I mean no truck, will be allowed within SA. So the instructions from the SADC Truck Drivers’ Association of Zambia are that kindly please park all South African registered trucks in proper parking places and be safe to avoid unnecessary inconveniences.”
Meanwhile, the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) has distanced itself from a planned truck strike.
SATAWU Spokesperson, Zanele Sabela, says the union is concerned for the safety of truck drivers – and have urged them to remain vigilant.
“It is quite confusing because as far as we know, none of the unions were sent – the Bargaining Council and the Road Freight Industry – a call for the strike. But there have been messages going around saying there is a strike and truck drivers should stay away because they might be hurt if they do their jobs. So it is quite concerning. We have seen a lot of truck attack, especially in KZN, so because we can’t point to the people that are calling for the strike, we are concerned that there might be some violence.”
