By Neelam Rahim

Motorists have been urged to avoid the N12 between Bloemhof and Wolmaranstad in the North West after truck drivers blockaded the road linking Johannesburg and Cape Town on Tuesday.

Truck drivers continued protesting on Wednesday after roughly 100 trucks blocked the R34 road. They have vowed to continue their action until government officials, including Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, address them.

The drivers have been protesting since Tuesday afternoon, demanding the government compel local companies to stop hiring foreign truck drivers. North West Transport Management Department spokesperson Boitshoko Moremi assured the public that law enforcement officers were on the scene, ensuring the safety of all road users.

“In South Africa, there are 80 % foreign nationals dominating the truck industry. Now, these people are not mad, these are old people but when we are talking they are taking us as fools. But drivers are fed up now because employers are still employing foreigners. When you come to South Africans, it does not matter how much experience you have, whether you have PDP or not, they put your CV aside,” says Sfiso Nyathi, Spokesperson for the striking drivers. This action by truck drivers has negatively impacted the local economy of the Bloemhof town, as per SABC News.

“This is an unforeseen circumstance that we did not predict and did not prepare for. But economically this thing is affecting us heavily because there is no movement in town. But it’s really a bad situation for us because all private cars are being re-directed to use other routes to Gauteng or Kimberley. So as results, our businesses in town are suffering,” Lekwa-Teemane municipal mayor Sebang Motlhabi explains.

Motlhabi says they have contacted the relevant authorities to come and intervene on the matter, hoping that the impasse will be addressed soon. Traffic and police officers are monitoring the strike.