The first protected strike by truck drivers will take place in the Johannesburg CBD on Monday after the transport unions were issued with a permit.

The permitted march will be a stark contrast to the violent strikes that took place last week. Trucks were burnt, stones and petrol bombs thrown, highways blocked and various instances of intimidation to working drivers took place.

The South African Transport Allied Workers Union (Satawu) has said that its members were not behind the violence that saw around 45 strikers arrested.

“We have thus far realised that none… of our members are party to all [the] reported cases of crime that have seen the attack of fellow workers and torching as well as damaging of private property,” Satawu spokesman Vincent Masoga said in a statement.

According to Masoga, people wishing to drag the union’s reputation through the mud involved themselves in the strike and turned it into a violent affair.

The strike has had negative effects on the economy as fuel and cash supplies have not been readily available in some parts of the country. Motorists have been urged not to panic as supplies will still be able to sustain regular demand.

The drivers are seeking a 12% wage increase and have turned down offers of 6 and 8% by employers.