TRANSPORT Minister Fikile Mbalula has joined the calls for stronger police action on the N3 highway.
The minister was very disappointed by the continuing unrest in KZN’s trucking industry.
Mbalula said attacks on roads should be seen as serious crimes, specially as the government had met local drivers to resolve their issues.
“The interdepartmental task team is making progress and should be given room to do its work. Violence and terror is not how we are going to solve this. We cannot allow for any parts of the country to be declared no go zones.”
Mbalula said threatening to make the N3 unusable was unacceptable.
“These activities not only terrorise the freight sector but also the general public, which is entitled to safe use, free of violence.”
Last week, Police Minister Bheki Cele, Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and Mbalula visited Durban to tackle the issue.
A plan was drawn up, including setting up a rapid response team, an end to the hiring of undocumented migrants, putting in place skills development programmes for local drivers, the creation of a database of unemployed drivers and a review of work permit legislation.
Despite this, a truck was burned on the N2 near Umgeni last week and a truck driver and conductor were shot and wounded.
Positive Freight Solutions spokeswoman Priya Hassan said over 60 trucks were burned on the roads in the past month.
