Trucks shot at in KZN

Three trucks were shot at in the Durban area on Saturday evening, while one truck was stoned near Mooi River on Sunday, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

The shooting and stoning follows a national strike by All Truck Drivers Forum and Allied SA over the “appalling conditions” truck drivers work under.

ALSO READ | Truck drivers threaten to shut down major routes in SA

The strike started on Sunday. The forum targeted the N3, N11 highway to Newcastle, M4 and M7, N2 and N34.

SAPS
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said despite the incidents, traffic was flowing smoothly on the national roads.

“In the three shooting-at-truck incidents, no injuries were suffered and of the three, one was meant to harm those on board because the bullet hit the windshield of the truck while the other two were just wild shots at the carriage areas of the trucks.

READ MORE
Truck drivers threaten to shut down major routes in SA
We are monitoring the situation closely and we have deployed accordingly. The hotspots in the province are Durban harbour, N3, N11 near Empangeni, the toll gates and Richards Bay because there have been threats to disrupt traffic flow in these areas,” said Netshiunda.
He said they were ready to handle any disruptions that might erupt on the national roads. Forum secretary Sifiso Nyathi told The Witness that the response to their grievances was satisfactory. “We want the safety of the truck drivers on the roads. We want the government to do away with labour brokers.

“All truck companies must comply with the collective agreement and our demand for R37 000 basic salary must be met.”

Provincial Road Transport Inspectorate
Provincial Road Transport Inspectorate spokesperson Zinhle Mngomezulu said yesterday that as far as she was concerned the roads were open and there has been no sign of disruptions.

She said there was one incident just past the Mooi River toll plaza where two men hit a truck with a huge brick, cracking the windshield.

The driver was not injured. The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) has mobilised its resources to ensure measures are in place to prevent and combat any form of lawlessness.

According to a statement sent by Natjoints on Saturday morning, multi-disciplinary joint law enforcement operations are under way, adding that law enforcement officers have been deployed and are on high alert to heighten police visibility to combat any form of criminality.

ALSO READ | Road Freight Association concerned about residents blocking trucks in Pongola

“Private security companies through the SAPS E2 project [eyes and ears] have also pledged their support in working together to combat criminality,” reads the statement.

Natjoints assured the nation that no lawlessness in the form of barricading of roads, torching of trucks and looting of goods from those operating will be tolerated.

To this end, those who are found to be on the wrong side of the law are warned that law enforcement officers will not hesitate to respond accordingly within the ambit of the law,” reads the statement.
By yesterday afternoon, South Coast Road, Bayhead Road, Crabtree Road and Umbilo Industrial in Durban were barricaded with trucks