News24 reports that several spheres of the government and trucking stakeholders have vowed to curb the ongoing violence in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) that has affected the industry in recent weeks.  

High-level meetings between truck owners, drivers and Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula, Minister of Employment and Labour Thulas Nxesi, Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and Minister of Police Bheki Cele were held in Durban on Monday.  The intervention came after at least 20 trucks per week were torched in the last three weeks and 91 people were arrested by police.  The attacks are not new in the province, with assailants alleging that foreign nationals are given jobs as drivers ahead of locals.  Outlining interventions put in place, Premier Sihle Zikalala, who was also part of the high-level delegation on Monday, said that immediate changes were being implemented.  Rapid response would be the order of the day.  Zikalala also said that illegal employment of persons who had no permits must stop.  He went on to indicate that they would implement a programme to develop the skills of drivers, saying:  "They must undergo training and must be supported by the government.  We will also establish a database of employed and unemployed drivers.  This way, employers have a pool if they need to employ drivers."

• Read the full original of Kaveel Singh’s report on this story at News24
• Read too, Over 15 trucks petrol-bombed on volatile N3 over the weekend, at The Mercury
• And also N2 closed on Tuesday after truck driver and assistant shot on Durban highway, at TimesLIVE

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