Durban - For road users along the N2 between Richards Bay and Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal, coal tipper trucks can be seen stretched out to the horizon.
This is because of a massive pile-up near the port of Richards Bay.
Companies exporting coal are now rushing into the port to cash in on the so-called European energy crisis, causing chaos for road users in the uMhlathuze Municipality.
The trucks had to be relocated to a nearby airfield in the vicinity to avoid further congestion, which was made worse when President Cyril Ramaphosa and his posse dropped in last week for a military event.
A number of members from a business forum wielding weapons helped relocate the drivers to a light aircraft field just outside Empangeni airfield, according to a News24 report.
According to the City manager, there were around 2,000 trucks piled up, both north and south bound, causing major pile-ups.
This was when the business forum decided to relocate the trucks themselves, he explained.
It is also understood that Transnet port authorities on Thursday requested freight owners to refrain from sending trucks for 48 hours.
The situation along roads in northern KZN have been made worse because of ailing state of Transnet’s Freight Rail services, particularly its coal corridor.
This forces business to make use of the road way instead of rail and adds an increased level of risk for general motorists.
European companies previously exported around 45% of their coal from Russia, according to Reuters.
After a ban was imposed amid the Ukrainian occupation, Europe had to look elsewhere for their coal.
Owners of the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT), Thungela Resources, a company that listed on the JSE not more than three years ago, then began competing with Asia to export coal.
CFO of Thungela, Deon Smith, said coal exports from RBCT increased by 720%.
At the tail end of last year, Thungela returned R8.2 billion to shareholders, a dividend of roughly R60 per share.
IOL