The Southern Africa Development Community –SADC- Truck Drivers Association of Zambia has bemoaned the increase in toll tariffs for heavy duty trucks by about 50 percent from K200 to K300 taking the new payment to K500.
In the 2024 National Budget, Finance and National Planning Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane announced an increase in toll tariffs for heavy duty trucks with 4 axle and above by K100, and abnormal load vehicles by K300.
SADC Truck Drivers Association President Eugene Njovu however said, the move will affect the truck drivers negatively, especially that transporters are still struggling with the high cost of doing business due to high cost of fuel pump prices.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times –ZBT, Njovu said the association welcomes the initiative of road tolls, with the understanding that they are meant to ensure that the country has very good roads that will enhance smooth trade locally, and regionally.
Njovu however noted that despite this initiative, roads continue to deteriorate. “There is nothing to show that these tolls are working in terms of rehabilitation of the roads, or construction of other economic roads” said Njovu.
He said they expected government to exercise some leniency especially that they indicated they will embark on the Public Private Partnership –PPP-. “So we expected government to give a leverage to our transporters, some kind of reduction, or just maintain the current prevailing fees, so that transporters can have a breathing space in terms of tear and wear” said Njovu.
He said from the time the tolls were introduced, roads keep deteriorating, and are in a deplorable state thereby damaging vehicles extensively. He said the people charged at the end of the day are drivers, as they are the people who drive through the same bad roads. “When they get back to their employers, for purposes of maximization of their profits, they will throw the blame again on the driver” said Njovu.
Njovu said transporters are not happy, as they expected the opposite. He disclosed that there have been high level meetings that focused on discussing SADC trade protocols in terms of best practices across the region. He disclosed that for every one hundred kilometers, the standard fee is supposed to be 10 United States dollars, but has lamented over the increment made in the 2024 budget.
He noted that the abnormal load trucks which have been hiked to pay a toll price of five hundred kwacha, are the trucks that transport equipment needed for the mines to produce what will translate to revenue for the country.
He said there was need for serious consultations before the minister went ahead to make this pronouncement. He said it is unfortunate that whenever key decisions are made in the road and transport sector, it is rare that key stakeholders are consulted starting from the transporters associations, and drivers representatives. “We feel it is never too late. I think by bringing all key stakeholders together, this issue can be revisited, and a decision made that will not cause anarchy” said Njovu.
He said the members of the association expected something that will speak to improved conditions of service going into 2024. He said transporters will use the increment as an excuse, noting that fuel has increased, road tolls have increased, and their rates are still the same, thereby making it hard for drivers to improve conditions of service. He said this will cause a lot of problems in the driving fraternity, and that as long as transporters say they have low business, and they cannot pay to the expectations of the drivers, there is a possibility of protests taking place to seek government intervention.
He has also urged stakeholders in the transport sector, which include the transporters, trade unions, ministry labor and social security, ministry of transport, Zambia federation of employment, as well as mother body unions, ZCTU, and FFTUZ, the ministry of labor came up with an initiative to conduct an indaba on the 25th of October to discuss issues that are affecting the road subsector in order to harmonize on a number of issues that have been causing a lot of noise. He has called on all parties to approach to this opportunity with an open mind so as to speak to real issues that will enhance change so that government can also collect the right needed revenue, and transporters can also make their right profit, and drivers can make their good monies.
“For us to get to that position, to a win situation, we all need to be honest with each other, and face the issues that re affecting us with sincerity so that we reduce on the amount” said Njovu.
