KwaZulu-Natal police prepare for potential disruptions as a trucking protest is planned for 30 May 2026, urging organisers to engage in dialogue to prevent violence.
Image: File Picture: Karen Sandison African News Agency (ANA)
KwaZulu-Natal police have raised concern over a looming protest linked to the All Truck Drivers Forum South Africa (ATDFSA), warning that any violent or disruptive action will be met with decisive law enforcement.
Addressing the media at SAPS KZN Headquarters on Thursday, Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General Phumelele Makoba said intelligence indicates plans for protest action scheduled for 30 May 2026, potentially involving road blockages on key routes including the N2 and N3 highways.
“We are calling upon the organisers of that planned protest to come to the table and voice their concerns, and we are prepared to listen and amplify our strategies where required,” Makoba said.
He added that while police had not received a formal notice of the march, intelligence and public statements from organisers suggested the action was linked to concerns over the employment of undocumented foreign nationals in the trucking sector.
Makoba said authorities had already engaged with ATDFSA leadership in previous incidents, noting that agreements had been reached for structured engagement and information-sharing to avoid disruption.
However, he warned that any return to violent protest action would not be tolerated.
“Any march that turns violent, through blockages of roads, destruction of infrastructure and any form of public violence, calls for a decisive police action, and police will act without fear, favour or prejudice,” he said.
The provincial police leadership also highlighted ongoing enforcement operations targeting undocumented foreign nationals in KwaZulu-Natal.
“From the 1st of January 2026 to date, police in KwaZulu-Natal have arrested four thousand seven hundred and twenty two (4722) undocumented foreign nationals during joint operations,” Makoba stated.
He also confirmed that authorities are monitoring indications of further planned protest action on 30 June 2026, though organisers have reportedly assured police that it will be peaceful.
“Police in KwaZulu-Natal are hard at work to maintain stability, peace and law and order through dialogue, engagements, and decisive law enforcement with proportional legal force,” Makoba said.
Authorities say surveillance and deployment strategies are in place as the province braces for potential unrest over the weekend.
IOL News