Trucks continue to burn under your watch MEC for Transport

10 July 2023

Despite promises made five years ago by previous MEC Kaunda, on truck violence and the establishment of the Provincial Intergovernmental Relations Protocol on Public Protest Management, in 2019, vicious truck attacks continue unabated, with six trucks being set alight over the weekend at Van Reenen’s Pass.

It is deeply concerning that Law enforcement is nowhere to be found and hot spot areas are not prioritised.

The Department of Transport reckoned that the protocol would go a long way in assisting government to detect such incidents before they escalate into public protests. What has happened to this initiative? There is no evidence of this “intelligence” and it is definitely not saving our economy on the ground.

Since 2018, KZN has witnessed criminals wreaking havoc on our roads at the expense of trucking companies.

Five years ago, previous MEC Kaunda made promises to stop truck violence and stabilize our province.

The promises of 24-hour patrols are nothing more than political stunts. To date no arrests have been made, while criminals continue to have the upper hand in destroying our economy while the MEC for Transport sits back and watches as our province is destroyed.

As long as MEC Sipho Hlomkua continues to be silent it becomes increasingly evident that the KZN Department of Transport is clearly more than he can handle. There has been no relief on safety or security on our roads. His time is up, he must go.

Issued by Sharon Hoosen, DA KZN Spokesperson on Transport and Community Safety, 10 July 2023