Zimbabwean drivers arrested in KZN

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, has declared war on rogue elements in the province's trucking industry, following a far-reaching enforcement operation that laid bare a web of exploitation, corruption, and unsafe practices along South Africa's busiest freight routes.

Over the weekend, Duma joined law enforcement agencies at the Mkhondeni Weighbridge in Pietermaritzburg, where his department's #NenzaniLaEzweni ("What Are You Doing in This World?") campaign intensified its push to restore order on KZN's roads.

The operation saw 98 trucks stopped, 47 drivers interviewed, and several arrests made, including one of a Zimbabwean truck driver found driving under the influence of alcohol.

"Undoubtedly, he was on his way to cause a horrific accident that could have resulted in fatalities," Duma said, adding that the operation's purpose was to "clean our road networks as part of creating a safe and secure KwaZulu-Natal for citizens."

Authorities also arrested five foreign nationals for being in the country illegally or for presenting fraudulent documents, while another Zimbabwean driver was charged for transporting European tourists without a valid permit.

A bus from Zimbabwe carrying foreign nationals was also impounded for inspection by a multi-agency team that included the RTI, SAPS Dog Unit, and Home Affairs Immigration officials.

Behind the arrests, however, lies a deeper crisis within the province's freight sector. Interviews with truck drivers, conducted during and after the operation, painted a grim picture of exploitation and labour violations that Duma described as "human rights abuses in broad daylight."

"We have uncovered exploitative practices, financial fraud and human rights violations involving certain players in the logistics and freight industry," he said.

"They are behaving with impunity and must be held accountable for turning our road networks into killing fields."

According to the MEC, drivers reported that they have no written contracts or employment protection, local drivers are being replaced by undocumented foreign nationals willing to work for less, bribes are paid to law enforcement officers to bypass inspections, no payslips or overtime payments are issued despite long hours, and many work without rest days or leave.

The crackdown forms part of a wider provincial campaign to stem the tide of deadly truck crashes, particularly along the N3 corridor, where heavy-duty vehicle accidents have claimed dozens of lives this year alone.

Duma confirmed that his department has now mandated the RTI to arrest company owners implicated in criminal activities, not just their employees.

"Honest players in the logistics and freight industry must stand up and join hands with us to protect the sector from being destroyed by rogue elements," he said.

The province's multi-agency task force includes the SAPS K9 Dog Unit and Highway Patrol, Department of Labour and Employment, Cross-Border Road Transport Agency, Umsunduzi Traffic, N3 Toll Concession and ADTF ASA (Truck Drivers' Union), a partnership Duma described as "enduring and unbreakable."

The operation marks a turning point in the province's transport safety strategy, a move that blends road policing with labour justice and immigration control.

While the MEC's tough stance has won praise from safety advocates, industry insiders say long-term reform will require tightening the employment laws, licensing regulations, and cross-border compliance mechanisms that allow exploitation to persist.