A notice circulating on social media by a group calling themselves All SA Drivers has caused panic as it warns of a national shutdown by SA truck drivers.
According to the notice the shutdown is planned for April 30.
The truck drivers are embarking on the Road Freight National Shutdown due to some demands they want resolved, which include not having cameras inside the cabs, the employment of foreigners in the trucking industry, and the safety of truckers on the roads.
They further demand R25 000 basic salary, the scraping of labour brokers, and for all truck companies to comply with the collective agreement (negotiated between representatives of unions and employers at the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI)).
Road Freight Association
Road Freight Association’s Chief Executive Officer Gavin Kelly said this shutdown was an example of how the logistics chain is continuously threatened.
He has called for the organisers of this shutdown to rather address their concerns with the relevant authorities and to assist these authorities in providing details of the non-compliant transport companies so that the necessary relevant action can be taken.
Collective bargaining exists to ensure a negotiated, structured, and peaceful resolution to disagreements between employers and employees. “Shutdowns” create long-term, negative consequences to the logistics supply chain and the economy. Jobs are lost. Revenue (both to companies and to employees) is lost. Tax revenue is lost. Business confidence is lost. International trade and investment is lost. Inevitably, opportunistic criminality and violence occur.
He said the South African economy and the citizens all lose when shutdowns happen and in addition, the complaint trucking companies (operators) are always caught up in these activities again and again.
The Task Team
Kelly said that the Road Freight Association agrees that the task team which was established in June last year has taken longer than expected, but urged truck drivers to find the right solutions developed to treat the causes.
The task team was established by the Road Freight Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to conduct research work and developing a plan of action for the resolution of the challenges affecting the industry, as well as to report to the IMC.
He added that he trusted that the relevant authorities, including the SAPS, will show the same resolve in dealing with any illegal activities creating a shutdown of supply chain routes, as was shown in the previous national shutdown.
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