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Long weekend road violence

May 02, 2018 Trucking, truckers, road safety, N3TC, heavy duty

Long weekend road violence

The long weekend should have been a restful time for road users but that was not the case for truckers and drivers on the N3.

The N3Toll Concession posted a serious of alerts for road users and truckers following an eruption of violence on the route it manages between between Cedara in KwaZulu-Natal and Heidelberg in Gauteng.

During the course of the 29 April, 18 trucks were set alight during protest action in the vicinity of the Mooi Toll Plaza, near the town of Mooi River in KwaZulu-Natal, which forced authorities to close the toll route in this region. The Mooi Toll Plaza was subsequently shut down  whilst recovery, clean-up and repair operations were in progress. 

Southbound traffic was diverted at Estcourt through Greytown to Pietermaritzburg; while northbound traffic was diverted at the Mooi River (Wimpy) off-ramps onto the R103 and then back onto the N3 Toll Route at Hidcote/Estcourt.

“Judging by the high traffic volumes experienced on the N3 Toll Route at the start of the long weekend, it is expected that thousands of vehicles will be returning towards Gauteng (northbound) on Tuesday, 01 May 2018. All resources, including SAPS, traffic officials, emergency services and the N3TC patrol teams, have been deployed to ensure safety. At this stage, further protest action cannot be ruled out although every effort is being made by law enforcement authorities to contain the situation,” commented N3TC’s commercial manager, Con Roux on Monday.

“If at all possible, we advise road users to travel during daytime for their own safety,” says Roux.

Following this incident, FleetWatch issued a further waring on Tuesday night, advising all truckers to ensure their vehicles were off the road.

"FleetWatch has just received a call from a very high authority asking for all trucks to be taken off the road tonight particularly on the N3, the N1 and the N11. The information they are receiving has elevated a stand-by position to high high risk that trucks will be attacked tonight similar to the Mooi River incident. They have asked that trucks south bound on the N3 go no further than Villiers and north bound, for trucks to be kept in Durban or, if on the road, to be parked at a safe and secure place off the road as soon as possible. PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY: The call comes from very high authority based on information they are receiving. PLEASE SHARE and pass on to all truck operators and warn all drivers."

We hope all drivers were able to heed the warning and remained safe over the danger period. 

Image used from Fleetwatch

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