The All Truck Drivers Forum Alliance South Africa (ATDF-ASA) has suspended its planned national shutdown which was scheduled to start today (Monday, May 20).
This comes after warnings circulated across security-focused social media groups on WhatsApp cautioning that the shutdown was expected to start gaining momentum at the weekend.
High-risk routes that were expected to be targeted included most of the major routes across the country such as along stretches of the N2, the N3, the N11, the R74, the N4 and the N12, as well as roads around the Port of Durban, including Bayhead Road and Langeberg Road.
The alliance announced late on Sunday that it had decided to suspend the protest following an earlier meeting during which members had planned the implementation of the shutdown.
ATDF-ASA secretary general Gugu Sokhela said the organisation’s leadership had decided to cancel their plans for the protest after having an urgent meeting with relevant stakeholders.
The organisation announced its decision in a statement addressed to its members and South African drivers.
“On behalf of the All Truck Drivers Forum and Allied South Africans, we would like to inform you that our planned national shutdown is temporarily suspended,” ATDF-ASA said.
“We will closely monitor the implementation plan agreed upon in our visual meeting on May 19 around 14:00.”
The group’s leadership called on its members to refrain from participating in any illegal action and said it hoped government departments would intensify inspections of transport businesses and enforce compliance with regulations.
Road Freight Association (RFA) CEO Gavin Kelly commended the ATDF-ASA for its decision to cancel the protest.
“As the RFA has noted, there are other means of achieving the resolution of grievances and the association trusts that the various departments will commit to addressing these. The potential for violence, damage and injury to individuals has been averted,” Kelly said.
He added that the RFA looked forward to assisting the Road Freight Task Team to resolve the issues the alliance had raised.
