The Road Freight Association has refused to accept part of the implementation plan brought about by the ministerial task team to address problems in the trucking industry.
The RFA agreed to and supported the implementation plan except for the part where it suggested to bring back the taxi industry style operator licence system.
“The idea to bring back the archaic route and distance “operator licences” that existed before the “deregulation of road freight” in the 1980s, and propose the implementation of a taxi industry style operator licence – shows both a total lack of understanding of how freight and logistics sector operates, as well as a hidden attempt to capture the industry,”
RFA CEO Gavin Kelly said.
“The various authorities that are responsible for registration and regulation of operators in the sector are mandated and empowered to perform these functions – without the need to further burden the citizenry with another expensive yet ineffective agency”.
Kelly said the idea that a private institution can create a government agency to “regulate” the freight industry was unacceptable.
The RFA said it supports all efforts to stop the disruption of the logistics chain but failed to understand how the taxi industry style operator licences would help.
The root causes have been identified, and the proposed implementation plan clearly identifies who, what, when and how these causes must be addressed and resolved.
Kelly emphasised that the compliance of employers in the transport sector with all regulatory requirements, is non-negotiable.
“There are both companies and so-called representative organisations within the road freight sector who refuse to comply with the basic requirements of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) or the Main Collective Agreement within the sector,”
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The RFA called on the various authorities tasked with registration, confirmation of compliance and the monitoring of adherence to the conditions of employment prescribed for the road freight sector, to apply themselves urgently to their tasks.
“This will resolve the base causes for the protests by the All Truck Drivers Forum and Allied South Africa (ATDF-ASA) and the employment of illegal (without work visas) foreigners,” said Kelly.
