Striking Transnet workers clog road to Durban terminal

14 October 2022 - 09:13 By TimesLIVE
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Striking Transnet workers use their cars to block the road at Durban's Victoria Embankment.
Striking Transnet workers use their cars to block the road at Durban's Victoria Embankment.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

Transnet workers have gathered outside Durban port entrance 3 on the Victoria Embankment as part of their strike action.

Members of the United National Transport Union and South African Transport and Allied Workers Union began picketing last Thursday and on Monday respectively over wage agreements.

On Friday they started with a motorcade to the terminal on Bayhead Road to continue picketing. The motorcade will consist of at least 100 cars.

“Our motorcade will respect the rules of the road because we’re law-abiding citizens. We will be travelling below 60km/h all the way through, and metro police are here to help us with traffic control. We don’t know how long it will take us to get there. It might be hours,” said a leader who wanted his name withheld.

The motorcade started at Victoria Embankment, and was to proceed through Sydney Road and on to Bayhead Road, just outside King Edward VIII hospital.

An altercation broke out between a metro police officer and a striking Transnet employee after he tried to block the road from Victoria Embarkment to the Transnet terminal in Bayhead.
An altercation broke out between a metro police officer and a striking Transnet employee after he tried to block the road from Victoria Embarkment to the Transnet terminal in Bayhead.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

Traffic is expected to be backed up on the route.

Durban metro police spokesperson Supt Boysie Zungu told TimesLIVE there has been traffic control in the vicinity since last week to monitor the strike.

“There is nothing wrong with people who are driving their cars and adhering to all rules of the road. It’s not something you need a special permit for but there has been a deployment there since last week because of the strike,” he said.

This is a developing story. 

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