Foreign truckers hit, leaving over 200 dead
The ongoing attacks on foreign truck drivers has brought shame on SA.
Several were attacked last week under the cover of the general looting – drivers’ association.
Buried in the mayhem of last week is a story that has brought even more shame on South Africa: the ongoing attacks on foreign truck drivers. Groups representing foreign drivers, such as the Zimbabwe Truckers Association and the SADC (Southern African Development Community) Truck Drivers Association, report that several of their members were attacked last week under the cover of the general looting that took place in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
“There is a danger that this situation spirals out of control, and South African drivers operating in neighbouring countries get targeted in tit-for-tat violence,” said advocate Simba Chitando, who is representing several foreign truck drivers’ associations in seeking police or army protection against attackers operating on SA roads.
A complaint has been lodged with the International Criminal Court at The Hague in the Netherlands, which says it is monitoring the situation of foreign drivers in SA, though so far has declined to open an investigation.
More than 200 foreign truck drivers have been murdered in SA in recent years.
Foreign truckers point at groups such as the All Truck Drivers’ Foundation, which has called
for a ban on foreign drivers, but has publicly condemned violence.
However, there are court judgments against the group for allegedly detaining trucks while the police looked the other way.
Last year, the Zimbabwe Truckers Association brought an urgent case against President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ministers of transport, police and defence, calling for armed escorts for foreign truck drivers in SA.
This followed the murder of 25-year-old Zimbabwean truck driver Gift Msimanga, who was beaten to death in Alberton, south of Joburg, last year, allegedly by two Pakistani truck owners apparently operating under pressure from a trucking “mafia”.
The government is aware of the situation with foreign drivers, but has sought to delay finding any resolution. The consequences of that prevarication were in full display last week, said Chitando.
“The government cannot say that it was not warned what would happen. We have provided ample evidence of facts on the ground, and who is behind the attacks.
“It [government] chose not to act when it had the chance. The situation is fast spiralling out of control and has the danger to impact not just foreign drivers, but SA’s relations with Zimbabwe,” he added.
Director of the Zimbabwe Truckers Association Wellington Manyonda said in an affidavit before the High Court in Johannesburg that the presidency appeared to have little understanding of the urgency of the situation.
There has been a breakdown in law and order on the roads, and the police are unable to bring it under control, he argued.
Part of the blame lies with senior politicians who appear to incite attacks against foreigners.
The case was opposed by the state on technical grounds, and the acting director-general in the presidency argued the matter was not urgent and more time was needed to assess the situation.
Chitando said the folly of that delay was now evident for everyone to see.
Moneyweb understands that behind-the-scenes negotiations are under way to provide compensation for the families of murdered truck drivers, though it is not known whether armed escorts will be provided for foreign-driven trucks. There are reports of some companies providing armed escorts for their own trucks on certain routes.