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98 trucks have been stopped and 47 truck drivers interviewed as part of the unstoppable #NenzaniLaEzweni Operation

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Mkhondeni Weighbridge, Pietermaritzburg: More than 98 trucks have been stopped and 47 truck drivers interviewed as part of the unstoppable #NenzaniLaEzweni Operation.

Our energized team from Road Traffic Inspectorate has arrested an undocumented foreign truck driver from Zimbabwe for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Undoubtedly, he was on his way to cause a horrific accident that could have resulted in fatalities.

Other five foreign nationals have been arrested for being in the country illegally and for producing fraudulent documents.

A Zimbabwean nationalntruci driver was charged for transporting tourists from England and other European countries without a permit.

A bus from Zimbabwe transporting foreign nationals has also been stopped and searched by RTI, SAPS Dog Unit and the Department of Home Affairs’ Immigration Unit.

We are determined to clean our road networks as part of creating a safe and secure KwaZulu-Natal for the citizens.

While we are encouraged that our operation is yielding positive results, we have uncovered exploitative practices, financial fraud, and human rights violation involving certain players in the logistics and freight industry.

They are behaving with impunity and must be held accountable for turning our road networks into killing fields.

From the 47 truck drivers we have interviewed through our operations and as a result of tipoffs from within the industry, we discovered the following:

● There is no existing relationship between truck drivers and trucking companies, as there are no written contracts.
●KZN truck drivers who insists on written employment contracts are displaced with foreign nationals.
●Owners of trucking companies giving cash to foreign truck drivers for bribes and using certain routes at night to avoid detection.
●No payslips are provided to the truck drivers.
●There are unlawful deductions.
●Hours of work are long in violation of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
●No overtime payments.
●No rest periods (days).
●No leave days for truck drivers.
●They’re paid as per load (No basic Salary).
●Sundays and Public Holidays are not paid for.

We have formed an enduring partnership with the following organisations:-

●SAPS K9 Dog Unit and Highway Patrol;
●Department of Home Affairs Immigration Unit.
●Umsunduzi Municipality Traffic.
●Department of Labour and Employment.
●Cross Border Road Transport Agency
●ADTF ASA (Truck drivers’ Union).
●N3 Toll Concession.

For us to stop the carnage involving trucks on our roads, I have mandated RTI to arrest the owners of certain trucking companies.

Honest players in the logistics and freight industry must stand up and join hands with us in order to protect the sector from being destroyed by rogue elements.

Ends

Issued by the MEC for Transport and Human Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal Siboniso Duma

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