Fin24 reports that concern is mounting that recent truck attacks on two of SA's key transport routes could deal another blow to confidence and harm the economy.
The timing of the incidents, coming as SA marked the two-year anniversary of the 2021 July riots, has caused worry, while business leaders said it might just add to existing scepticism among investors that law enforcement was capable of clamping down on ongoing criminality. The reasons behind the incidents are not clear, but there have been reports they may have been motivated by anger over foreign nationals working as drivers. Gavin Kelly of the Road Freight Association said on Monday that while "no one has put their hand up" and indicated what exactly the latest attacks were about, if it was about employing foreign drivers, the question was why they were attacking companies that employed locals and paid better than minimum wages. It also raised the question of whether there was a "more nefarious reason" for the attacks, aimed at destroying the industry to make way for other players. Kelly said the incidents were likely to result in increased costs as trucking groups were going to have to ramp up security, which could involve armed escorts for trucks and other measures to protect drivers, trucks and client cargo. He said fortunately no one had been killed in the latest incidents, but that in prior incidents people had been murdered with no "reports of any punitive action against any of the perpetrators". Business Unity SA’s Cas Coovadia commented that the Van Reenen's Pass incident on Saturday night was "obviously worrying" considering its timing. He added he was concerned that the economic fallout would be severe and would affect not only the economy, but also "confidence in our country".
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nick Wilson at Fin24 (subscriber access only)
- Read too, KZN premier says torching of trucks could cost SA up to R60 million, at The Citizen
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page