South Africa’s roads are notoriously deadly and any effort to boost road safety is something to be welcomed. But there’s a balance between law enforcement and restrictive measures and food transporters hope this line will be toed in KwaZulu-Natal’s October Transport Month.
Agri businesses have welcomed the campaign, launched in an effort to up traffic law enforcement, but are nervous about it affecting their delivery schedules. Role players in the freight industry are concerned that more of their trucks will be stopped this month, since they feel like they’re always being “targeted” on the road.
The October Transport Month campaign was launched on 2 October this year, led by premier Sihle Zikalala. He who was joined by the MEC for transport, community safety and liaison, Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni, and eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda.
Speaking during the event, Nkonyeni said that roadblocks will be set up across the province for the entire month of October.
ALSO READ: Rural police deployed to GP roadblocks, warn farmers
Support for the campaign
Muziwandile Dlamini, fleet manager at the South African Farmers Development Association (SAFDA), says SAFDA supports the government in its efforts to enforce road laws since the campaign will also help minimise crime and illegal cross-border movement. However, he says that this campaign will probably affect their sugarcane delivery schedules.
“As a result of the recent civil unrest in this province, that erupted in July, we have accumulated a backlog that is affecting our daily time schedule of deliveries. Each time our truck crosses a roadblock, it may create a delay in our daily schedule.
“We hope the government also considers this and creates a plan that will ensure that when a truck has already been checked and stopped, it will not go through the same process [elsewhere],” says Dlamini.
Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association (RFA), says that he doesn’t expect the freight industry to be more impacted by the roadblocks than before because they are always being targeted on the road.
“Freight is always picked on – even when it is not Transport Month. Freight vehicles are stopped at weighbridges and at many other spots along our roads every day. If they are targeted during this month as well, there could be an increase in the number of times freight vehicles are stopped.”
Kelly added that, unless there are long queues created at extra roadblocks and vehicles are having to wait for long periods at each, there should be no real delay on the delivery of goods.
Everyone should obey the rules
Christo van der Rheede, executive director of Agri SA, says that roadblocks are important to ensure compliance with the rules and that vehicles are roadworthy. However, he hopes that it will not impact on truckers’ ability to get to their destinations on time, or delay the delivery of goods to various markets in any way.
“It is important [that all of us] obey traffic rules. If there is anyone guilty of disobeying these rules, it is important that those people face the full might of the law.
“But … traffic officials [must] not in any way compromise the integrity of the system by demanding bribes or other things from truck drivers or motorists. That is one of the biggest issues we are currently facing throughout the system.”
Dreyer Senekal, a commercial sugarcane farmer from Mkuze Estate in KwaZulu-Natal, doesn’t expect delays due to the campaign.
“We have a good relationship with our local traffic officers. They understand that we employ a lot of people.” He has full faith that local traffic officials will assist in letting agri transporters continue their work, and adds that they will also assist the authorities when needed.
ALSO READ: N3 closures may hold security risk for food transporters
Sign up for Mzansi Today: Your daily take on the news and happenings from the agriculture value chain.
