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South Africa’s road freight and logistics industry is set for a number of changes from 1 March 2027 under a new three-year Main Collective Agreement covering wages, driver classifications, overtime, deductions, foreign-national employment, in-cab cameras and several other industry matters.
The agreement was reached between the employers’ organisations and trade unions representing workers in the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry.
It will run from 1 March 2027 until 28 February 2030.
Here are the major changes truck drivers and transport operators need to know about.
1. Truck drivers get three annual wage increases
The agreement provides for three across-the-board increases:
- 6% from 1 March 2027
- 5.5% from 1 March 2028
- 5% from 1 March 2029
The increases apply across all chambers covered by the agreement. Minimum salaries will also increase by the same percentages.
Allowances will increase in line with the applicable across-the-board increase. The agreement also notes that the Hazchem allowance and Wellness Fund contributions calculated as a percentage of basic or minimum wages will increase as the underlying wages increase.
2. A new category for super-heavy truck drivers
One of the biggest changes specifically affecting truckers is the creation of a new Super Heavy Motor Vehicle Driver category.
The category covers drivers operating vehicles with a GCM between 56 tonnes and 150 tonnes.
It will be introduced from 1 March 2027 and positioned between the existing Ultra Heavy Motor Vehicle Driver and Abnormal Load Driver categories.
The minimum wage for the new category will be R4,350 per week.
The agreement also provides that special allowances, premium payments, incentives or other remuneration linked specifically to operating vehicles in this category may apply.
3. New rules around deductions for truck damage
The agreement proposes tighter controls over deductions from employees’ wages for loss or damage.
Where an employee agrees to a deduction, the loss must have occurred during employment and be due to the employee’s fault. The deduction must be below R1,000, recorded in writing and signed by the employee in the presence of a fellow employee of their choice.
If the driver does not agree, or the deduction exceeds R1,000, the employer may only make the deduction after finding the employee liable following a fair inquiry and procedure.
There are also limits on the amount that can be deducted: deductions for loss or damage may not exceed 17.5% of the applicable monthly minimum wage, while the 52-week limit is 20% of the applicable annual minimum wage.
The agreement further states that employers may not deduct for loss or damage where the cost is or may be recovered from insurance, subject to the provisions dealing with amounts not recoverable through insurance.
4. In-cab cameras will be subject to new guidelines
The use of in-cab camera systems will also be formally addressed.
The agreement says camera use must be governed by guidelines designed to balance legitimate operational, safety and security requirements with appropriate privacy protections, safeguards and employee dignity.
The parties have 90 days after signing the agreement to conclude these guidelines.
The agreement does not yet provide the detailed camera rules, so issues such as the precise use of footage will depend on the final guidelines.
5. South African drivers to be prioritised
The agreement specifically addresses the employment of foreign nationals.
It states that employers will not employ foreign nationals contrary to applicable legislation and that the industry must prioritise South African drivers.
The agreement records the position that driving is not a scarce skill within the industry and that there is no shortage of drivers.
Importantly, this wording does not amount to a blanket statement that foreign nationals cannot be employed. It requires compliance with the applicable legislation while calling for South African drivers to be prioritised.
6. Overtime rules remain a major issue
The agreement sets out limits around overtime.
An employer may not require or permit an employee to work more than six hours of overtime on any day, except Saturdays, or more than 40 hours of overtime from Monday to Saturday.
It also states that, except for emergency services, the maximum working day may not exceed 15 hours, including ordinary hours, overtime and specified meal intervals.
Where an employer requires overtime above the specified weekly limits, the employee must be paid for the excess hours, and those hours may not simply be exchanged for time off in lieu.
7. Owner-driver arrangements will be reviewed
The agreement also deals with owner-drivers.
It proposes that there must be a written SLA or contract between an owner-driver who uses their vehicle to transport goods for hire or reward and the company concerned.
The owner-driver quota issue will be referred for further deliberation and must be concluded within 90 days of signing the agreement.
8. Other changes in the agreement
The agreement contains several additional provisions, including:
- A new General Worker (Support Services) Grade 1A category from 1 March 2027, with a minimum wage of R1,448 per week for new appointments in specified support roles.
- Changes affecting subsistence payments in the furniture-removal sector for trips not exceeding 48 hours.
- Further discussions on surplus fund relief and interest income.
- A survey of employers’ provident-fund contribution rates.
- Further consideration of warehouse definitions, which the agreement notes is subject to Constitutional Court litigation.
- Further discussions on medical insurance and the so-called third-man issue in the CIT chamber.
What does it mean for truck drivers?
For drivers, the agreement contains several potentially significant changes.
There are three years of scheduled wage increases, a new classification for drivers operating 56t–150t combinations, tighter provisions around deductions for damage, formal guidelines for in-cab cameras and a stated requirement to prioritise South African drivers.
For transport operators, the agreement provides a three-year framework for wages and introduces additional requirements that could affect labour costs, driver classifications, deductions and operational practices.
However, some matters have not been finalised. Several provisions specifically refer matters to further deliberations, with a number of them subject to a 90-day process after signing.
The new Main Collective Agreement is about far more than annual wage increases.
From 1 March 2027, the road freight industry is set to enter a new three-year period with changes affecting what drivers earn, how super-heavy drivers are classified, how accident-related deductions are handled, how in-cab cameras are governed and how South African drivers are prioritised.
For truckers and transport companies, the important thing now is to understand which provisions take effect immediately from 1 March 2027 and which still require further negotiations or implementation guidelines.
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