Pietermaritzburg, one of Kwa-Zulu Natal’s (KZN) prominent metros, is facing the possibility of all-out war in the trucking business.
SA truck industry is teetering on the verge of war
At the centre of it — it seems — is the prolonged issue of the labour laws employers in the truck industry fail to adhere to.
For a number of years, local truckers have picketed and rioted over claims that foreign nationals are favoured for permanent trucking contracts due to their cheap labour market value.
More recently, drivers of IYI Shuttle, a freight company contracted by South African Breweries (SAB), told City Press that their positions were halted when the country went into Lockdown Level 5 and 4.
However, when the industry reopened in Level 3, they only found out through the grapevine that their positions had been taken by foreign nationals.
Pietermaritzburg off-duty trucker attacked by foreign nationals
In an unrelated incident that was captured on video, a trucking company in Pietermaritzburg was the scene of an ambush led by foreign nationals.
According to renowned nationalist Lerato Pillay, an off-duty local trucker was brutally assaulted by a crowd of foreigners from Malawi and Zimbabwe.
“It happened next to [the] Engen garage. Some of the foreigners are working in the same company with him. Taxi drivers intervened when the foreigners were trying to burn his car,” Pillay tweeted.
While it is not clear what may have exacerbated the situation in Pietermaritzburg, it seems more than likely that foreign nationals are revolting against calls for their expulsion in South Africa’s labour market.
Are foreign nationals planning a revolt against SA truckers?
More evidence of this surfaced in what Pillay refers to as leaked WhatsApp communication between a group of disgruntled foreigners who have reportedly planned an assault on anyone who is dead-set on putting them out of work.
The alleged threats have not been verified by authorities but they sure do raise the hairs on the back of one’s head.
Local truck drivers are expected to go on a nationwide strike on Tuesday, calling on the freight industry to hire more locals.
One driver made it clear to City Press, that this is not a xenophobic stance but rather a call to “trucking companies to hire more South African citizens.”
“It has nothing to do with xenophobia. Driving is not a scarce skill; there are many truck drivers in South Africa. It is our right to benefit and enjoy the fruits of our economy and enjoy our citizenship,” the driver said.
We will keep a close watch on developments that occur around this story.