MANZINI – Truck drivers have been advised not to undertake journeys to South Africa (SA) until the truck drivers’ strike in that country has ended.

The Swaziland Transport and Allied Workers Union (STAWU) said Swazi truck drivers’ lives and the safety of the trucks and their consignments were at risk as the violence in the neighbouring country’s strike intensified.

The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) is calling for a 12 per cent salary increment. Employees in the road freight sector have been on strike since last week. Employers offered an 8.5 per cent increase effective from March, and another 0.5 per cent from September next year.

STAWU Secretary General, Simanga Shongwe, said his union had written letters to companies which have a collective agreement with the union, advising them not to send drivers to SA. He also said STAWU had proposed an urgent meeting with the Commissioner of Labour Khabo Dlamini, where the union intends to impress on her the dangers lurking for the truck drivers and trucks.

“It has come to our attention that some of our members are being persistently forced by employees to undertake journeys to SA for business errands, yet the situation is volatile there. We have since resolved to write letters to all such companies requesting them to refrain from sending drivers there as a precautionary measure. The latest we heard was that 20 trucks have been burnt in Johannesburg and lives were lost as the strike intensified,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of Chrissilda’s Transport, Sikelela Vilakati, said no such correspondence had reached his office by the end of business yesterday.

However, Vilakati said his company was closely monitoring the situation to ensure that their drivers’ lives were not at risk.

“Both the drivers and the trucks are assets that our company cannot afford to lose. It should be noted that the strike has certain hot spots which are no-go areas, while in some areas there is calm. We are taking routes where the threat is minimal.”

Meanwhile, UNITRANS Managing Director, Mduduzi Magongo, said his company was of the view that the SA strike would not affect Swazi truckers.

“When there is a strike in Swaziland, South African trucks are allowed to freely come in and out. We expect a reciprocal situation.”

He said UNITRANS would continue to exercise extreme caution when sending workers to SA.

The Commissioner of Labour confirmed that STAWU had asked for an urgent meeting but said it would probably be held tomorrow.

However, the South African Police Service said on Monday they would offer protection to trucks from neighbouring countries.

 

 

Source: http://www.times.co.sz