The agricultural sector has expressed concern over the recent violent attacks on trucks. Agri SA, representing farmers in the country, has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to deploy the army in support of the police to protect major transportation routes, particularly those in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
Over the past week, 20 trucks have been set alight in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal. This has raised serious concerns amongst agricultural leaders that food might not reach their intended destinations, locally and internationally.
Jaco Minnaar, president of Agri SA, warned the torching of trucks is a direct assault on the South African economy and a significant risk to food security.
“Urgency is necessary to protect our truck drivers from acts of violence, but also to safeguard the valuable cargo they transport, which includes agricultural goods. Among the routes protected must be those which connect export harbours to main markets,” Minnaar said.
Food Forward SA, which distributes more than 20 000 tonnes of food to more than 2 700 beneficiary organisations every year, is also anxious.
Managing director of Food Forward SA, Andy du Plessis, said the violent attacks threaten food security, economic growth and food prices.
“At this stage we are not removing our trucks from the road, as this will mean people cannot be fed, but we are taking a cautious approach, our truck drivers are on high alert,” he told Food For Mzansi.
The wave of arson attacks, National African Farmers Union [Nafu] Mpumalanga president Jabu Mahlangu said, is taking place at a time when harvesting season is well underway for major crops.
“It is annoying that there are criminals who have made it their business to disrupt the supply chains of foods stuff and related goods to the markets which are perishable and time sensitive,” Mahlangu said.
The long-term effects are job losses, food insecurity and spikes in food prices, he added.
“Our communities and customers cannot be denied the invaluable life sustaining products, incomes, and health services, by those sabotaging the growth of the agricultural sector.”
Mahlangu said proactive steps must be taken to prevent the attacks from spreading to other parts of the country. He believes the answer is the installation of cameras along the main roads, and in this way eliminate criminality on these important economic corridors.
Agri SA believes the rampant criminality on our highways deters overseas investment.
Apart from the costs caused by the destruction of the trucks, the situation also creates additional financial burdens on already cash-strapped producers who are forced to pay for more security and higher insurance premiums, Agri SA said. Overseas investment is also at risk.
Intervention is particularly important for the agricultural sector. First-quarter data for 2023 shows that South Africa’s agricultural exports reached $2.9 billion while agricultural imports amounted to $1.7 billion. This net trade surplus of $1.2 billion (9% up from last year during the same period) is vital for the South African economy.
“Farmers are already dealing with a general logistics crisis caused by a failing rail network, decaying rural roads and congested ports. Violence on our county’s highways adds another level of insecurity and seriously hampering growth in our economy,” Agri SA said.
Coming after the unrest of 2021, Agri SA remains mindful of the impact that disruption to transportation can have on access to food across the country.
For the sake of vital livelihoods in the agricultural sector, food security across the country, and the safety of the country’s truck drivers, we hope to see immediate action from the President on this critical situation.
No cause for concern, says Road Freight Association
Meanwhile, the Road Freight Association’s chief executive, Gavin Kelly, believes there is no cause for concern.
“At this stage, there is no reason to doubt food security as there is no data available to support any contention that only trucks carrying agricultural goods were targeted,” he said.
Kelly said the All Truck Drivers Foundation of South Africa had stated on two occasions that it is factions within their support base that have taken to the roads to protest their point regarding foreign drivers in the road freight industry.
“As with all external cost drivers, there will be increases in cost in logistics and that will in one way or another influence or affect consumer prices in the medium term,” he said.
According to the Road Freight Association, trucks carry 80% of the goods moved in and around South Africa, as well as for those countries that trade with international markets and use South African ports for import and export.
Depending on the configurations of the vehicles, delays in moving costs the transporter between R5 000 and R7 500 a day, a rough estimate of loss of revenue to the 7 000 odd vehicles from various destinations.
Kelly said one day delay at various points of entry, and along the N3 corridor would be around R35 million. This, he explained, is the broad road freight sector impact.
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