Martin Endjala
Namibian truck drivers, who were stranded in South Africa over the weekend due to a severe snowstorm over parts of the country, safely returned home on Monday.
The heavy snowfall, which began on Saturday, caused major road blockages, leaving vehicles stuck for more than 24 hours.
On Wednesday, the FP Du Toit transport group’s managing director, Stephan Terblanche told the Windhoek Observer that all trucks have returned safe and sound, and all drivers are in good health.
“They were stuck in the snow between Johannesburg and Durban on Sunday. There were about 1 900 vehicles stuck, stretching to about 35 kilometres. I spoke to the drivers, who are offloading and I am grateful they were able to escape safely,“ he said.
Terblanche explained that the company had equipped its drivers to be prepared for any situation.
He said the drivers kept themselves warm and well-fed while stranded in the snow.
Terblanche said that, as a prerequisite, drivers must always carry food, blankets, and safety gear in case of emergencies.
The Namibia Revolutionary Transport Union’s (Naretu) secretary general, Petersen Kambinda said that apart from a hijacking incident involving a Namibian truck driver, the union has not received any reports of its members stranded in the snow.
“At this stage, we have not received any reports of any of our members stuck in South Africa, but we will keep the nation updated should we get such reports as we do normally,” he said.
He cautioned truck drivers to be extra vigilant on the roads amid the ongoing snowstorm and urged them not to take any chances but to call for help in an emergency.
This week, the South African Road Freight Association received reports that drivers of approximately 700 trucks were blocked or stuck, prompting them to issue an alert to the owners of transport companies and the drivers of these vehicles.
The association has since barricaded the trucks in various safe zone locations to prevent thieves and hijackers from stealing cargo and breaking into the vehicles.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has since predicted a mix of warm and cool temperatures in South Africa over the next few days, followed by a significant drop in temperatures and even some light snowfall later this month.
