SATAWU calls for gov intervention over employment of foreign truckers
Transport Union SATAWU claim there are a number of foreign national truck drivers on the road without the required documents.
The union was locked in meetings yesterday after KZN truck drivers took to the streets protesting in the Durban CBD.
SATAWU's Jack Mazibuko says employers are to blame for disregarding the rules of employment.
He's condemned the acts of violence towards innocent people and the damaging trucks.
"We are calling on the government to urgently intervene, we have had so many meetings with the state, where we say please let's find an amicable solution that we have resolved this issue.
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"Give the department of labour the power to investigate, to penalise the employers who are employing foreign drivers. We are disappointed to say nothing has been done from the side of the department of labour," he adds.
Meanwhile, KZN premier Sihle Zikalala has appealed to the drivers to be calm and peaceful until a resolution is reached.
Zikalala says the matter has been escalated to the national government.
He says a task team has been assigned to address the challenges of the sector and to meet the representatives of the drivers.
uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans in KZN say government must look into the problems facing the trucking industry.
They say they have an issue with foreign nationals being employed by logistics companies - ahead of South Africans.
MK vets convener, Zibuse Cele says, "South Africans must be given first priority in every department. It's not xenophobic, MKVA went to their country to fight for freedom to rectify the mistake in South Africa. They must face their countries and fight in their mistakes."
The group handed over their list of demands at Bayhead before marching through town to South Beach.
After scuffle broke out between protesters and police, stun grenades were fired to disperse them.
