Over 200 people have been killed, 1 400 vehicles damaged and R1,2 billion lost in cargo and infrastructure in highway truck attacks. This is according to Road Freight Association spokesperson Gavin Kelly.
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In the latest spate of attacks, trucks driven by foreign drivers have been torched along the N3. This issue has stirred up fear and left locals demanding urgent intervention.
Speaking of intervention, the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) cannot deploy officers at problematic points due to the clampdown of overtime pay. The Estcourt News was reliably informed that management at head office level is trying to save money but service delivery is affected in the process.
This came into effect after a rule was introduced that says officers cannot exceed 520 hours of overtime a year.
An RTI officer said: “There is only so much we can do, despite these cases of emergencies.”
RTI Chief Director, Shadrack Nxumalo explained that overtime has to be determined by the employer.
“There are two standard shifts – a 6am to 2pm and a 2pm to 10pm shift. We are working on providing a 24-hour service but this is not in place as yet,” he told.
According to Mr Nxumalo, if there is any work to be done beyond the shifts, then the department will provide overtime but this is how it works …
“Overtime is to be determined by the employer and the work to be carried out. The employer must check what work needs to be done, how many employees are needed to carry out the work and how many hours are required to do the work. Thereafter it will be granted, once the relevant people are approached,” enlightened Mr Nxumalo.
The Public Servants’ Association (PSA) union’s Provincial Manager Claude Naiker said:
“The overtime rule came about due to budget restraints. If any call-outs are made, then those hours get taken off the 520 hours of each employee. So right now in cases of emergencies, officers are reluctant to come out and provide their services, while the ones who do respond, do so voluntarily.”
Mr Naiker feels that the department lacks proper planning.
“So many of these disasters on our roads could have been avoided had there been more personnel.In cases of an emergency, officers are on standby but due to the clampdown in overtime, officers are unwilling to respond.
“We have approached the department and said let us see how all parties can be happy, deal with the operations and members can be remunerated,” Mr Naiker summed up.
Over the past months, the violence along the N3 has climaxed, but fortunately, during the past long weekend, roads remained calm with no reports of trucks being torched or drivers coming under attack.
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