WATCH | N3 open after truck drivers stage protest

N3

Cape Town — The N3 in Harrismith has now been reopened after truck drivers had blocked the road from the early hours of Monday morning, while police have confirmed that one person has been arrested.

In a statement, police confirmed that a Joint Operation was staged in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District to monitor the truck shutdown that happened on the N3 and N5 national roads to ensure no serious incident happened.

“Since the announcement of the looming trucks shutdown, the police and traffic have been able to monitor truck drivers who were either stuck on the side of the road for mechanical or fuel problems and were assisted in that regard,” police spokesperson, Brigadier Motantsi Makhele, said.

Makhele added that police in Harrismith were able to redirect truck drivers whose trucks blocked the entrance on Monday.

“On the N3 towards Van Reenen, one male person 42-year-old was seen with a banner attempting to stop other truckers, but police swiftly intervened and arrested him. The police are still monitoring the situation thus far without any incidents,” Makhele added.

According to SA Truckers, the N3/N5 interchange in Harrismith was briefly blockaded during a truck driver strike early on Monday morning. This key junction, which also provides access to Access Highway Junction – the largest truck stop in South Africa – was partially obstructed as the protest unfolded.

However, the protest did not gain traction, largely due to ATDF-ASA distancing itself from the action. ATDF-ASA Secretary-General Gugu Sokhela told SA Trucker that the organisation was not involved in the demonstration and had not endorsed any shutdown.

“The poster claimed it was an initiative by South African drivers organised by ATDF-ASA. We cannot prevent individuals from protesting, but we want to be clear that this action was not organised by ATDF-ASA.” Sokhela also urged others not to misuse the organisation’s logo.

According to The Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) Department of Transport it had a meeting planned with the ATDF-ASA over the planned protests, a statement said.

Our team from Road Traffic Inspectorate worked with law enforcement agencies especially along the N3 to avert any disruption of traffic. We wish to indicate that yesterday we had an informal meeting with the leadership of All Truck Drivers Forum and Allied SA (ATDF-ASA),” Department spokesperson, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, said.

Sibiya added that the meeting was coordinated by the Department’s head, Siboniso Mbhele, and the Department noted a the matters raised by the truck drivers.

“However, we wish to indicate that in our meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa last week and his national cabinet, which was followed by the Presidential Imbizo, the issue of socio-economic stability dominated the agenda,” Sakhele said,
The Department of Transport said its planned engagement with the ATDF-ASA is within continuous engagements with the road freight industry stakeholders. Our planned meeting with (ATDF-ASA) and other interventions aimed at ensuring efficient transport systems are therefore based on this understanding.

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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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