Durban - The uMhlathuze and Zululand municipalities in northern KwaZulu-Natal are calling for a ban on truck travel during the day following the recent fatal accident that involved a truck and a bakkie near Pongola that killed 20 people.
The fatal truck tragedy claimed the lives of 18 children and two adults.
Zululand Municipality mayor Thulasizwe Buthelezi called on the minister of transport to come up with a national strategy to regulate the number of trucks passing through Zululand and limit trucks’ travel to between 6pm and 6am.
“The R34 from Vryheid to Richards Bay and the N2 from Pongola to Richards Bay simply cannot cope with the number of trucks passing these routes on an hourly basis. There is enormous pressure on our road infrastructure and as a result, fatal road accidents have become a daily occurrence," said Buthelezi.
UMhlathuze Municipality mayor Xolani Ngwezi said they are in talks with the Richards Bay port, business people and the National Department of Transport on how the frequency of trucks on roads could be reduced.
Ngwezi said the fast-tracking of railway infrastructure repairs will lift the pressure on national roads.
“We know that the railways are often vandalised and that means more stakeholders need to come on board to ensure that we keep criminals away from stealing and damaging railway infrastructure,” he said.
He also mentioned that most railways run in places governed by traditional leaders who can play a part in seeing that the infrastructure was protected.
Ngwezi said land had been identified to construct a truck stop in Richards Bay.
“We are also looking forward to seeing the plans of a truck stop come to life as that will prevent dozens of trucks parking along the John Ross Highway.
“We need the trucks, for they are part of the economic development of the municipality, so we urge the Department of Transport to assist is fixing our roads and make them appropriate for trucks as well as civilians,” he said.
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal conducted an oversight visit to Pongola and established that a total of 13 families were affected by the fatal truck tragedy, with one family losing three members.
The driver, Sibusiso Siyaya, 28, made a brief appearance in the Pongola Magistrate’s Court on Monday and was charged with culpable homicide. He was being remanded in custody till his bail application on September 26.