Durban - Transnet has made great strides in removing a number of trucks on the John Ross Highway in Richards Bay following a labour strike by its employees.
On Saturday afternoon, uMhlathuze ward councillor Christo Botha said John Ross Highway was clear while only about 50 vehicles remained on Harbour Arterial but they were expected to be taken to the port soon.
Earlier, Botha shared an update from Transnet where Transnet said it had filled certain areas to capacity but it still had about 160 trucks on the public road. Transnet had also said it was going to place trucks around the coal shed area up to Shincel yard.
The uMhlathuze Municipality, on behalf of mayor Xolani Ngwezi, said it had started liaising with Transnet in order to solve the issue of an unusually large number of heavy vehicles that were stationary along John Ross Highway since Friday.
The municipality said that it had received communication and was liaising with Transnet regarding the blocking of the road to other motorists.
It said it was hard at work in talks with Transnet management urging them to advise trucking companies to delay sending trucks to the port since the backlog is already untenable.
The municipality said that while the city upholds the constitutional right of unions to protest, which is entrenched in Chapter 2 of the Constitution, the city appealed to all parties involved in resolving the dispute to find an urgent amicable solution.
“The port of the city of uMhlathuze represents a hive of the country’s economic growth, currently with more than 500 heavy vehicles that move the goods from the seaport inland standing still and blockading thoroughfare in and out of Richards Bay, the economic growth of the area and importantly of the country, is currently still,” Ngwezi said.
The municipality added that it had also begun talks with the province seeking speedy intervention. The city’s traffic police were stopping more heavy vehicles from entering John Ross Highway, which on its own will create traffic havoc along the N2. The nightmarish situation happens when the city has a confirmed budget and is in the process of establishing an alternative route for heavy vehicles to ease the pressure on John Ross Highway.
In a letter on Friday, Transnet issued an ultimatum on the unprotected strike and said that since Thursday, employees at the Richards Bay dry bulk terminal and multi-purpose terminal had not undertaken any operational activities.
The managing executive of Richards Bay Terminals said the actions of the employees impacted on service delivery and the image of Transnet Port Terminals.
From 6pm on Thursday, the principle of “no work, no pay” was applied to employees that did not work.
The letter also stated that employees were required to return to work on or before 4.30pm on Friday and if they fail to do so, they will be required to vacate the Transnet premises immediately effective thereafter.
Daily News