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[FILE IMAGE]: Trucks in a traffic jam.
The All Truck Drivers Forum and Allied South Africa (ATDF-ASA) has denied claims that its members participated in the truck driver’s nationwide strike on Monday.
The organisation says it’s raised concerns over the hiring of foreign nationals in the freight and logistics industry, as well as the issue of some employers who don’t adhere to the minimum wage policy.
ATDF’s Secretary-General Gugu Sokhela says the organisation is holding internal discussions on how to have these issues resolved.
“ATDF was not part of the so-called shutdown today because when you look at the timing of the shutdown, to call a shutdown at this time of the year whereby drivers are looking in terms of getting those incentive bonuses and all of that and putting them at risk of not getting those incentives or even not being employed by the end of the year. As an organization, we are planning in terms of having a shutdown, but that would probably be next year, maybe at the end of January or the beginning of February,” says Sokhela.
Free State Police have arrested a 42-year-old man who was seen with a banner trying to stop other truck drivers on the N3 road near Harrismith.
Police say they have been monitoring the situation following threats by members of the ATDF-ASA who were expected to begin a nationwide strike this week.
According to the provincial Police Spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele a joint operation was staged to monitor the possible truck shutdown on both N3 and N5, with law enforcement officials patrolling both national roads throughout the weekend.
Truck drivers protest I Police clear Harrismith blockade: Mukhwathi Phumudzo
