Johannesburg - Employers and unions in the freight logistics
industry were to meet on Friday morning in an attempt to end a strike, while
police kept watch for resurgence of attacks on truck drivers.
"It's very quiet and under control," said
Ekurhuleni metro police spokesperson Inspector Kobeli Mokheseng.
Johannesburg metro police Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar
said it was also quiet in the city.
William Ntladi, spokesperson for Ekurhuleni emergency
management services, said they had not any reports of problems on Friday
morning.
"We haven't had an official call as far as the truck
strike is concerned," he said.
Sporadic violence by striking truck drivers has left at
least seven people injured since the strike began on Monday.
More than 45 truck drivers were arrested on Thursday,
Gauteng traffic police said.
The Road Freight Employers Association (RFEA) said on a
twitter feed dedicated to the strike on Friday morning: "#RFEA &
Unions to meet today in attempt to resolve dispute. Updates will follow after
meeting."
The parties were expected to meet from 8am at the Holiday
Inn in Sandton, Johannesburg, to try and the end strike, SA Transport and
Allied Workers Union (Satawu) spokesperson Vincent Masoga said on Thursday.
"We look forward to a changed attitude from the side of
the employers (and) are anticipating fruitful negotiations," he said.
The process was being facilitated by the Commission for
Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), which has been involved with
the negotiations since they began in June.
Unions reverted to a 12% pay demand after rejecting a lower
offer tabled by employers on Tuesday.
The RFEA had proposed a staggered increase of 8.5% effective
from March, and a further 0.5% from September next year.
The unions involved are Satawu, the Professional Transport
and Allied Workers' Union SA, the Transport and Allied Workers' Union of SA, and
the Motor Transport Workers' Union.
The SA Petroleum Industry Association (Sapia) has put
contingency plans in place to maintain the supply of fuel, and hoped for a
speedy resolution to the strike.
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