Business owners and non-striking drivers can breathe a huge sigh of relief as the truckers’ strike, which caused so much turmoil and financial loss, has officially come to an end.

Revenue losses were around R1.2 billion per week during the three-week long strike, with striking drivers losing almost R300 million in wages.

Along with the financial losses, there were many cases of violence with trucks and cars being set alight, bricks and petrol bombs thrown, and intimidation of non-striking drivers. Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town all felt the full force of the strike.

The end to this saga came on Friday when four unions and the Road Freight Employers Association (RFEA) agreed on a three-year wage deal.

The agreement will see workers receive an increase of 10% in 2012, 8% in 2013 and 9% in 2014.