TANKER DRIVERS SNUB ILLEGAL STRIKE

WEare being threatened for not halting operations and joining the truck drivers’ protest, tanker drivers have lamented.

The tanker drivers said once they stop moving, the economy would be affected because of fuel shortages.

The Zambia Union of Tanker Drivers (ZUDDAW) said tanker drivers were not part of the illegal strike by truck drivers.

Union president, Bob Ndalama said that the group calling itself professional truck drivers was a group of truck drivers who came back from

South Africa after the xenophobic attacks.

He said the group was now threatening tanker drivers so that they can be part of the strike because they were aware that once fuel tankers stop moving, the economy would be affected.

Mr Ndalama said that after returning from South Africa, they found employment here in Zambia and wanted to bring South African working conditions in Zambia.

The union president said that tanker drivers are not part of truck drivers who are protesting but during the protest, the union advised its members to park their vehicle for safety and security reasons.

Mr Ndalama explained that the self-proclaimed union wants to use tanker drivers to fight their war.

He charged that the union will not allow its members to be part of the strike.

“As tanker drivers we are not part of that group who are protesting and we are not on strike, those are international truck drivers who came back from South Africa due to the xenophobic attacks but now they want to bring South African conditions and want to use tanker drivers for their war which we will not allow.

“As a union we only told our members to park their vehicles during the fracas for safety reasons,” he said.

On Monday four alleged ring leaders of the country wide strike by truck drivers were arrested.

Copper belt Commissioner of Police, Charity Katanga said that the four were found instilling fear in those that were working.

“Some of the striking drivers were hiding in the bush and throwing stones at the trucks that were moving on the road and five trucks have been damaged in the process,” Ms Katanga said.

Minister of Transport and Communication Mutotwe Kafwaya also released trucks that had parked in fear of harassment by some drivers who were conducting an illegal strike at Sabina area along the Kitwe-Chingola road. This was after some truck drivers had gone ahead to protest against low minimum wages while others whipped their colleagues mercilessly for failing to comply with the strike.

Deputy inspector general of police in charge of administration Eugene Sibote advised the drivers with grievances to find other means of airing them as opposed to engaging in such acts.