TASA plans to reduce road freight by 20%, plans to move to rail

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The Truckers Association of South Africa (TASA) says engagements are at an advanced stage to have 20% of trucks on the South African road networks removed and have goods transported by rail. This to eliminate the security threats faced by the truck drivers across the country and also reduce the traffic congestion on the road networks.

At the Lebombo border post in Mpumalanga, Mozambique truck drivers have been attacked and kidnapped by criminals who later demanded ransom to release the victims.

TASA president, Mary Phadi says the talks are ongoing to implementing the rail strategy to reduce the trucks on the road networks.

“Our drivers have been kidnapped…. so, the congestion is affecting the industry in very bad way. So, we are considering a from road to rail strategy, where we are bringing in the rail industry so that we can move about 20% of the trucks away from the road,” says Phadi

Truck drivers feel that removing 20% of the trucks on the road networks would be creating a huge unemployment into the country.

One of the truck drivers, Emmanuel Sehlangu says the congestion at the border is being deliberately enforced by government officials.

“If they are saying they are gonna take away 20% and not placing them anywhere then we are going to have a problem. This will create the very same unemployment that we are having an increase in,” he says.

VIDEO: N3 Toll Concession’s Thania Dhoogra on recent truck torchings