‘Situation for drivers is inhumane’: Creecy Calls for delay in truck movement amid Lebombo border disruption

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has urged businesses to temporarily hold off sending trucks to the Lebombo border post, which is currently not operating at full capacity.

The border, located in Komatipoort, Mpumalanga, has faced interruptions caused by protests linked to Mozambique’s recent elections.

The closures have led to extensive queues of trucks on the South African side, creating significant traffic congestion.

Creecy on Lembobo border challenges

Speaking at a media briefing on Monday, Creecy confirmed that no freight vehicles had crossed into Mozambique since early Sunday morning.

“The Mozambican authorities this morning opened the border post to allow empty trucks and also passenger vehicles to cross back into South Africa, but there has been no crossing of freight vehicles from the South African side since early morning yesterday,” she said.

To address the issue, the minister said the Department of Transport, the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA), and law enforcement are collaborating on a plan to manage the “dire situation.”

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She appealed for patience from trade associations as they await updates from Mozambican officials.

“This is really a plea I would want to make to those who are engaged in mining. Please delay the trucks at your mining operations,” Creecy said.

Truck queues reportedly stretch up to 20 kilometers, the minister revealed.

“The situation for the drivers here is inhumane. There are no ablution facilities along the side of the road. There is no water, and there is no food,” she continued.

Lebombo border closure

Creecy added that the Border Management Authority (BMA) is awaiting further communication from Mozambique to determine when full operations can resume.

“[They] will advise us when it is safe and when we will be able to open this border once again,” she said.

The disruptions have already cost South Africa’s cargo sector dearly.

READ MORE: Analyst calls SA to action on Mozambique stability amid Lebombo border closure

According to the Road Freight Association (RFA), the initial closures last month resulted in losses of approximately R5 billion due to delayed cargo movement through the Maputo Port.

The unrest stems from protests following Mozambique’s ruling party, Frelimo, securing victory in the October 9 elections.

Watch the briefing below:

Road safety concerns

Switching focus to road safety, Creecy highlighted the economic toll of accidents, which cost the government 3% of South Africa’s GDP last year—equivalent to R250 billion.

According to the minister, preliminary data from the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) shows 162 fatal accidents and 193 deaths nationwide in the first five days of December.

“To date, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal [KZN] have the highest number of accidents and fatalities, with a concentration of these accidents in the main metros in those provinces,” Creecy said.

READ MORE: ‘More than 10,000 people killed on SA’s roads in 2024’ – Creecy says [VIDEO]

She noted that while the figures represent a slight decrease from last year, the numbers remain alarmingly high.

“The preliminary analysis of the figures indicates that a high number of buses and trucks have been involved in these accidents and that most of the fatalities continue to occur after dark.”

Creecy further indicated that traffic operations have already stopped 200 000 vehicles in the first five days, resulting in 512 arrests.

“The top five offences are speeding, driving without a seatbelt, driving an unlicensed vehicle, driving without a driver’s licence, and, I think very worryingly, driving with worn tires,” she explained.

Mpumalanga accounted for the highest number of impounded vehicles, with 250 cars taken off the roads.

#ArriveAlive #RoadSafety pic.twitter.com/U5sFYAjAZ5

— Road Traffic Management Corporation (@TrafficRTMC) December 9, 2024