‘Drivers’ strike disrupting supply chain’ The

Dairy Association of Zambia (DAZ) has wel- comed measures in the 2021 budget aimed at stim- ulating investment and TRUCK drivers’ work stoppage will further disrupt the supply growth chain which of the has dairy already indus- been affected by Covid-19, try. says Zambia Chartered Institute of Transport DAZ and executive Logistics president, manager, Zindaba Soko.

Jeremiah Kasalo, said for a He said Zambia’s economy which depends on the transport sector long would be time negatively his affected association if the strike was allowed had to take been long. lobbying Gov-

Mr Soko was commenting ernment on to the impose recent work tax on stoppages by some truck drivers, who were

imported powdered milk in protesting low salaries.

He emphasised order the need to for make Government locally to speed pro- up the process of duced changing milk the category more of compet- truck drivers to professional itive from on domestic the domestic workers. mar- Mr Soko insisted that a Statutory Instrument (SI)

ket. should quickly be passed to categorise truck drivers in the professional level Mr Kasalo and not domestic. said his organ-

The Ministry of isation Labour and would Social Security, work he with said, and all the Government affected parties needed to ensure to go to that the table to agree on time lines as opposed to truck drivers going on the work stoppage. measure was imple-

He stressed that mented. the drivers were responsible for imports and exports DAZ and therefore was stopping also work elated disrupted the supply about chain. the proposal to in-

“We feel that the category of them being like domestic workers crease is not correct. import Considering duty on that live- there has been less stock movement products this due from to the 25 per COVID-19 issues, cent this has to 40 already per affected cent. our economy negatively. Mr Kasalo said the mea-

“So work stoppage will still affect our economy negatively, these sure driver are would frontlines,” stimulate Mr Soko said the in an interview. “As local an institution, dairy farmers we are trying to com- to “This supplement laboratory Governments’ is pete targeted favourably efforts at the to see with how this heav- operations can be we sorted are out setting ily amicably subsidized up as starting opposed and with to drivers highly

going on work stoppage. He therefore emphasised Rufunsa, were we are mechanized working with producers small

the need to harmonise the wages for the truck of scale miners drivers in there the SADC milk and region. art from is anal developed miners coun- from the Mr surrounding Soko indicated tries. area,” that Zambian he said. truck drivers were Mr Keer among said the least the laboratory paid “Developed in the Southern would countries African also and are

Development Community (SADC) region especially be open to the general public for them to

when compared to countries such as Zimbabwe, come and have their samples tested.

South Africa, Angola and Congo among others.