​Lerato Mailoane
Truck drivers will soon be able to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations while travelling between destinations.
These one-stop vaccination centres will also allow drivers to renew their drivers licence and receive road safety tips.​
This will be made possible by a multidisciplinary partnership between the government and Engen South Africa, Road Freight Association, Trucking Wellness and the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI). 
MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure, Jacob Mamabolo recently led the pilot vaccination drive at the Engen Highveld 1 Stop along the R21. 
The second pop-up vaccination station is planned for the Heidelberg Traffic Control Centre on the N3 from the middle of September. 
This was to see whether drivers were interested in getting vaccinated. 
MEC Mamabolo said vaccinating truck drivers was imperative as the sector contributes immensely to the GDP. 
"The principle that is the driving this partnership is the contribution that the sector has on the GDP which is almost 20%...that tells you that this is the powerhouse of the economy.
"It is therefore important for government to form this partnership with the road and freight industry to make sure that we protect the backbone of our economy," said MEC Mamabolo. 
Long-distance truck drivers spend many hours on the road making their deliveries, which makes it very challenging for them to find somewhere safe and convenient to get their vaccine.
The partnership would also tackle challenges in the sector such as the growing incidents of attacks and burning of trucks and expired drivers' licenses.
The MEC said government was concerned about the attacks as they delay the delivery of goods, economic activity, and foreign investment to move goods through South Africa into Africa.
"Business investors are starting to think of moving to other areas and the industry is starting to see a decline of investors."