South Africa: Local community group currently blocking coal trucks on R33, R34, R66 roads in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces, Oct. 20

Event

Communities living along the R33, R34 and R66 roads in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Mpumalanga provinces are reportedly blocking coal trucks from traveling along said road axes, Oct. 20. Affected towns include Ermelo, Piet Retief, Paulpietersburg, Vryheid, Melmoth and Utrecht along the R33, R34 and R66. They are reportedly forcing trucks to use the longer, wider roads along the N2.

Traffic delays are likely on affected routes until activists are dispersed; congestion is likely on surrounding routes. The actions themselves could lead to traffic disruptions in the surrounding areas and around the N2. Police could be deployed to all protest sites. While protesters are unlikely to act violently, security services may resort to forceful methods to disperse protests.

Context

The number of trucks on these routes has reportedly grown from 1,000 to 5,000 a day. Reasons include the state of South Africa's rail network: it has suffered from poor infrastructure maintenance, cable and rail theft, and trade union strikes. These have increased the cost of transport between Mpumalanga and KZN. The demand for coal has greatly increased since the beginning of the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Transporting the coal by truck to the deep-water port in Richards Bay, KZN, has become the most cost-effective option.

South Africa's road infrastructure is not suited to mass truck transit, especially along smaller provincial arteries.

Advice

Avoid all protest sites if possible. Check for disruptions before beginning journeys and plan alternative routes if necessary. Heed instructions from security services and do not attempt to pass through roadblocks.