Some drivers say they were attacked with pangas and knives and had to abandon their trucks to flee into the bush in the dead of night.
Bongani Bingwa is joined by Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association.
Listen below
Shards of glass and damaged vehicles.
Eyewitnesses have described the scene at the Lebombo border post between South Africa and Mozambique.
On Thursday some 25-kilometre queues snaked around the road close to the border, with truckers stuck on the Mozambican side of the border tasked with ferrying cargo worth millions.
It follows the closure of the Lebombo crossing due to protests of the contested election in the country.
Customs officials are not allowing any movement and now stationary trucks are being targeted.
Some drivers say they were attacked with pangas and knives and had to abandon their trucks to flee into the bush in the dead of night.
“We are trying to deal with those queues, because in South Africa, that’s a very, very opportunistic target for crime.”
Gavin Kelly, CEO – Road Freight Association
Kelly says SAPS in the towns close to the border are trying to protect those drivers and trucks who have been labelled as ‘sitting ducks’.
“We’ve got private security assisting…we trying to get food and water to our drivers.”
Gavin Kelly, CEO – Road Freight Association
“More importantly, we’re trying to turn some of those trucks around, back to the depots they come from, especially if they’ve got perishable food on board.”
Gavin Kelly, CEO – Road Freight Association
Kelly says the border remains closed at this time.
“We can’t guarantee the safety of the trucks and the drivers moving from the border down to Maputo.”
Gavin Kelly, CEO – Road Freight Association
Kelly adds that the losses to the industry as a result of the border closure are sitting at around R50 million.
