Watch: Former Ni-Da Transport truck driver on a mission to expose oppressive bosses

A former Ni-da Transport truck driver has started a campaign to expose trucking bosses who illtreat their truck drivers.

Tendency Gawa, who worked for Border Logistics, a Ni-da Transport company, says that he started the campaign after he was a victim of ill-treatment himself under his bosses.

The 28-year-old Zimbabwean claims that he was fired after he intervened to help a colleague who was being harassed by his managers at Border Logistics.

“I was force-marched into a purported hearing attended by security guards to intimidate me,” said Gawa.

“My offence was that I stopped management from throwing another driver’s belongings from his truck after they had a fallout”

Gawa has vowed to fight his employer to the last to make sure he pays for mistreating him.

“My campaign is to expose all the trucking bosses who have always gotten away with their bad practices because apparently, as drivers we don’t have time to follow up our cases in court, we just jump onto the next opportunity,” said Gawa.

Gawa says he wants to put a stop to all the ill-treatment employees in the trucking industry suffer at the hands some of the bosses just because jobs are scarce.

“I want to get rid of the common phrase ‘If the conditions here are not suitable for you, just leave and look somewhere else’

“Trucking bosses should understand that we are an important part of each other’s lives but they seem to think they are more important than the employees”

Asked if he was not afraid that he may be targetted by the people he want to expose, Gawa said he was not afraid to die.

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“As drivers, we have suffered a great deal under some bosses who think they are untouchable because they have money, yes, some even threaten you, but until when shall we keep quiet, someone has to rise up,” Gawa said.

He said that he would want to inspire anyone in the same situation as his to rise up and fight for their rights.

Gawa went on to accuse employers of sponsoring the instability within truck drivers in South Africa alleging that they benefit most with the drivers divided on nationality lines.

“They tell you that they are doing a favour employing you as a foreigner because you are not wanted here, so that you won’t complain but that should end,” he added.

Attempts to reach Ni-Da Transport were not successful as this reporter’s calls were transferred to a dead line each time SA Trucker called.

Gawa created a YouTube which he is using to share his legal journey fighting for his and other truck drivers’ rights. Watch Gawa’s introductory video below: