Truck drivers have brought several parts of the country to a standstill. They are allegedly being sidelined by employers in favour of foreign nationals and want the government to intervene.
According to a business owner in Bloemhof who spoke to several of the drivers, they are engaging in this peaceful strike as they try to draw attention from the government. Several parts of the country’s roads have been closed. Small vehicles and bakkies are allowed to pass in a stop-and-go manner but all trucks are forced to pull over and stop.
The N12 from Wolmaransstad to Bloemhof has been closed as well as the Hoopstad Road in the Free State. Several concerns have been raised that the protest will escalate from tonight onwards. The truck drivers have called for the minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula to address them and vowed that they will continue with the strike until he does so.
According to the business owner in Bloemhof, the truck drivers are not budging. “After speaking to a few of them, they made it clear that the government needs to come to the party and start listening to the industry that keeps this economy going”, she said.
