Messages of national shutdown of trucking industry on 25 January floods social media

Messages of a national shutdown of the trucking industry on 25 January 2021 have started making rounds on social media.

As has been the case in previous such plans, organisers distance themselves and deny any involvement but trucks get destroyed and truck drivers are attacked, some even killed.

The messages allege that All Truck Drivers Forum and Allied South Africa (ATDF ASA) and South African National Cargo Transport Drivers Association (SANCATDRA) have hatched a plan to shutdown the country from 2021-01-25.

One of the reasons for the shutdown is that the organisations’ memorandum dated 2020/12/15 to the National Bargaining Council for Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI) has allegedly not been responded to.

According to a source, employment of foreign nationals in the trucking industry remains the biggest reason for this shutdown.

It’s feared that the shut down may start before the mooted date as history has taught us.

SA Trucker reached out for comment from ATDF ASA secretary general Sfiso Nyathi but he denied his organisation was planning a shutdown.

“We have no plans for a shutdown at this stage. We, however, cannot guarantee that it won’t happen because South African truck drivers continue to suffer while foreigners are employed,” Nyathi said.

Meanwhile, in KwaZulu Natal the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) is also planning to demonstrate on the same day.

MKMVA said they will be shutting down KZN because ANC have failed to address their grievances.

Among demands by the MKMVA was the banning of foreign nationals from employment across professions.

In November 2020, ATDF ASA joined forces with members of the MKMVA to march to the Durban Harbour to protest against the continued employment of foreigners in the freight industry.

During the march, the protesters blocked Bayhead and Langeberg roads, and closed all terminal gates leading to the harbour.

They demanded that South African trucks not be driven by foreign nationals.