The Truckers Association of South Africa (SA) has warned that long waiting times for cross-border trucks during the Easter weekend are proving costly for operators.
Some truck drivers using the Ramatlabama Border Post, outside Mahikeng in the North West province, say they have been stuck in queues for hours while trying to cross the border.
The association says the delays could result in truck operators losing clients.
Trucks transporting goods across the African continent have formed queues stretching between two and three kilometres at the Ramatlabama Border Post between SA and Botswana.
The Truckers Association of SA’s Deputy President, Tonny Modise, says the delays are severely affecting operations.
“When travel time increases, the truck driver has to stay in the vehicle for longer. At night it gets very cold, and the driver often has to keep the engine idling to stay warm, which increases fuel costs. In the long term, operators may struggle to cover their operating costs. If they cannot do that, they won’t be able to service their credit, and that could lead to banks repossessing their vehicles.”
–SABC–
