High Cube Containers – It’s not over…  The impounding of truck trailers carrying high cube containers by the Kwazulu-Natal Department of Transport in December had a considerable and severe impact on the trucking industry. Increased congestion at the Port of Durban, delayed deliveries, increased demurrage costs and the unloading and reloading of goods into standard containers were some of the challenges that operators faced.

As a result partly of the RFA’s interventions, prosecutions ceased during the third week of December. In its efforts to resolve the situation, the RFA:

• Met with Deputy Transport Minister Jeremy Cronin, who undertook to send a letter to all the Provinces, requesting them not to prosecute until such time the industry and the Department of Transport are able to meet to find a medium- to long-term solution. The RFA is awaiting dates for a possible meeting from the DoT.
• Made urgent pleas to the President, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Trade and Industry, requesting their intervention in the crisis
• Held urgent talks with the Department of Transport and the Kwazulu-Natal Department of Transport
• Consulted with the SA Association of Freight Forwarders and the South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents (SAASOA), resulting in a joint submission to the Department of Transport requesting a swift resolution to the matter