The Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) is finalising policy that will help to regulate the extent to which foreign nationals can be employed in South Africa, Minister Thulas Nxesi said on Friday.

His comments come as trucker drivers this week intensified their national strike against the employment of foreign nationals, blocking the N3 in both directions on Van Reenen’s Pass and at the Tugela Plaza, in KwaZulu-Natal, disrupting supply chains and freight logistics between Gauteng and the main port.

Similar blockades took place on several national routes last year, prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa to order an Inter-Ministerial Committee, led by Nxesi, to address the concerns raised by truck drivers and small truck operators.

The committee has already held a number of consultations with truck drivers’ representatives and small truck operators.

Nxesi said government was committed to addressing their issues in a way that ensured the long-term viability of interventions, some of which would require a longer runway, owing to legislative changes. For example, government in February formulated a National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP), which aims to effectively manage the rapid expansion of international migration flows.

The department has concluded its consultative process for the NLMP and is in the consolidation phase.

"The department intends to complete synthesising the recommendations by the end of June this year, and then present a consolidated document at Nedlac for a formal consultation with social partners,” Nxesi reported.

The proposed NLMP aims to address South Africans’ expectations regarding access to work opportunities, given worsening unemployment and the perception that foreign nationals are distorting labour market access. The NLMP, together with proposed legislation, will introduce quotas on the total number of documented foreign nationals with work visas that can be employed in major economic sectors.

The NLMP goes hand-in-hand with a proposed Employment Services Amendment Bill, which provides a policy framework and the legal basis to regulate the extent to which employers can employ foreign nationals in their establishments while protecting the rights of migrants.

Although Nxesi recognised the validity of some of the truck drivers’ concerns, he said the “sabotage and staged crime being witnessed should be treated as such”.

“What the truck drivers are doing is an affront to the entire South African community and should not be taken lightly,” Nxesi said, adding that it is posing a risk to human lives as well as the economy.

Meanwhile, the DEL is also working to clamp down on truck drivers’ illegal behaviour and creating the perception that the department is not doing anything to address their concerns.

“We will not tolerate lawlessness in the form of road blocking. We urge law enforcement to unleash the full force of the law on those who use illegal means to express their grievances while undermining the rights of others,” Nxesi averred.

Business Unity South Africa have stated their concern over national road blockages and disruption to alternative routes between Johannesburg and Durban. The organisation says this is a recurring occurrence and that there are hardly ever consequences for those perpetrating these acts.

In the last few days, there have been more than 350 trucks blocked on either direction on the N3, leading to truck drivers being exposed to severe cold, possible violent looting and other aggravated assault, not mentioning they do not have the means to survive for days stranded in a truck in the middle of nowhere, the Road Freight Association (RFA) reports.

The association bemoans the trade that will be lost this month over the unrest, highlighting the risk of ports becoming ghost towns and businesses closing down. RFA estimates that more than R300-million worth of damages and negative costs to the economy have already been incurred this month. "Act now, or we will have less of a country left," the association concludes.

Meanwhile, the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) called on government leaders and legitimate labour organisations to "please stand up!".

“The situation has become untenable and is eroding the good efforts of government and the private sector to create employment, to fast track reforms for economic growth aimed at facilitating trade expansion in an effort to restore our economy to good health. This is where the smooth flow of our supply chain plays a critical part," said SAAF's Juanita Maree.

The blockages caused by unresolved labour and social conflict will cost South Africa dearly as a  reputable international trade partner, due to loss of investor confidence.

“We are in a particularly delicate situation, which requires strong leadership; high unemployment, rising inflation and an already uncertain trading environment due to global dynamics call for unity. Consulted action by government and the private sector to implement solutions is our collective responsibility,” said Maree.