Fleet managers and related transport personnel are urged to help gather data that may prove invaluable in securing lives, trucks, cargo and infrastructure following several days of arson unrest in South Africa’s road freight sector.
According to Webfleet sales director Justin Manson, the telematics company’s Road Safety Survey for 2023 is an ideal opportunity to help resolve long-standing issues in the transport sector, responsible for about 80% of supply chain in South Africa.
Referring to the destruction of 21 trucks on critical routes in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo since last Sunday, Manson described arson attacks in the logistics sector as “an annual event that tends to happen twice a year.”
Despite everything known since truck torching in South Africa became a form of unrest some six years ago, information gathering about road freight safety could be significantly improved.
“We would like to encourage as many transporters to get involved in the survey as possible, especially in light of the torching of trucks,” Manson said.
He said the wanton destruction of trucks, for whatever reason and perpetrated by whom – something which remains unclear – “has a massive impact on road safety and downstream industries.
“It impacts insurance and the delivery of goods to communities because as soon as you set trucks on fire it blocks off the road for a couple of hours, causing massive traffic congestion.”
He stressed that it could affect urgent goods such as medicine when the delivery process is delayed.
Manson also said that although it seems like a logistics industry issue, its effect is widely felt, affecting the mood of safety and security in the country.
“At the end of the day truck burning and road safety affects drivers and their wellbeing, things we care deeply about.”
He said, because Webfleet continues to promote the importance of safety and security in South Africa’s road freight, comprehensive data gathering through the survey can make a significant contribution towards arming the necessary authorities and private sector entities with valuable information.
“I would encourage as many people as possible to participate in the Road Safety Survey, especially those impacted by the arson attacks on the country’s logistics sector.
“Information of this nature is the kind of data we can use to approach government bodies to talk about resolving these issues, how to make roads safer for transporters and for drivers.”
- R5000 will go to a randomly selected survey participant as a token of appreciation for participating in a worthy cause.
source: https://www.freightnews.co.za/article/appeal-made-help-logistics-sector-following-arson-terror
