CAPE TOWN
NOT THE FAIREST
STOP FOR DRIVERS

After spending around 20 hours on the road, under full load and with total responsibility for both rig and cargo, a driver is faced with little choice when it comes to secure overnight parking on arrival in Cape Town.

In fact, there are only two truck stops in the entire City of Cape Town. Both are situated in Epping, one of the city's largest industrial areas which lies adjacent to the densely populated residential areas of Langa and Bontheuwel. These areas are home to the many social problems linked to poverty such as informal settlements, gangsters, crime and prostitution.

Shell operates the larger truck stop. With capacity for 60 rigs, a R50 charge for overnight parking in the yard - which is enclosed and under 24-hour security - is payable. On a Sunday afternoon it is busy and almost full. Drivers can be seen refuelling, parking and standing at their vehicles. In the centre is a building housing the cash office, canteen and ablution facilities. It is in urgent need of upgrading. 

A doorway leads into the canteen which is full of people playing pool or simply sitting around. It garishly advertises its wares. A small TV with a snowy screen sits high up in one corner. Most of the drivers I spoke to said they parked here because their companies paid and they could get food and a shower. "Of course you have to wear your 'sloppies' in the shower," quipped one.

Bare cement
A staircase led upstairs to the ablution area. An indication of the last time the building had received any attention is the fact that large portions of the floor covering is missing, exposing areas of bare cement.

Snaking out from the first doorway were women and children lining up to use the toilets. Inside, a row of men stood at the urinals. Apparently, a bus had just pulled in for fuel en route to the Transkei, disgorging its passengers to make use of the facilities. 

Perhaps a driver who pulls in twice each week becomes accustomed to these conditions but from an outsider's view, it should not be acceptable to any employer.

Richard Marks, sales manager for coastal commercial road transport at Shell, says it is a difficult situation. "The facility was never intended for passenger use as it is not a Truck Port." The obvious question then is why is it allowed to be used as such?

Gary Smith, manager at Epping, explained that they do have separate toilet facilities, of which a small one is designated for women and used by women truck drivers, wives or girlfriends. I never saw it.

"It is usually locked but is opened when buses pull in," he says. "I don't know why in this instance it was not done." Smith says they also have a "Gold Class" facility which can be used on payment of R5.00. The "Silver Class" is free.

The fact remains that the facilities are old and inadequate. Marks says his division only recently took over management of the truck stops and they are busy reviewing the network as a whole and then selectively upgrading. Hopefully, Epping will be first in line.

 

Canteen at Shell Epping: facilities hopelessly inadequate Touro Trucking's Petrus Radebe: "I am in Cape Town three times a week and my company pays for me to park here."

Women and children line up to use drivers toilets Cashier Naftal Magire: "Condoms are freely available but we chase away the prostitutes".

Canteen at Shell Epping: watching one small TV Jose Pereira and his nephew Damian Delport: "I can get a hot shower and food." Security guards at Shell

Prostitute problem
Kobus Minnaar Vervoer from Tzaneen had two vehicles pulled in to fill up, although their drivers were not planning to spend the night there. Jaco Le Roux and Pieter Swanepoel were planning to drive back to the Engen Winelands stop for the night.

"We can't sleep properly here as there are women knocking on the cab doors all night," says Swanepoel. "We have to fill here because of our cards but Winelands is safe and we prefer it." Their complaint highlighted the prostitute problem. 

While being told proudly by the cashier that condoms are freely available, management is trying to ensure that women are not allowed to enter the premises. Explains Smith: "Although our security guards will not allow women through the gate, what some drivers do is unhook their cabs, drive out, pick them up and sneak them back in. It is very difficult to monitor."

During my visit, there were two women standing at the gate obviously expecting customers. Smith says many trucks park outside overnight and this is probably where the women will be working. "Drivers will use the facilities during the day and when it comes to 6pm when we start charging for overnight parking, they drive outside, stay there for the night and pocket the money." 

Haulgoods seem to have this particular problem licked. Part of the Kempston Group, this is a smaller facility. Leased from Engen, there is parking for 14 rigs. At a charge of R45.60 per night, electrified fencing and security guards are on duty.

Onus on transport company
Manager William Earle evicts any driver caught with a prostitute in his vehicle - and that driver is told not to return. They then tell the driver's employer what has happened - and why. Although he has lost a few customers through his action, he places the onus on the transport company to ensure that their staff complies with his rules. "Mostly the companies beg me to take their vehicles back in," he says.

Earle would like to expand the facilities and has had plans drawn up to incorporate more parking, better control of access and extended recreation areas. At present there is only an open braai area and a take-away attached to the premises. Unfortunately, Engen scrapped the plan as not being feasible since there are small margins on diesel sales.

A common complaint from fuel companies is that fleet owners will not support them in providing decent facilities. Margins on diesel sales are low and much of the investment in truck facilities is ploughed into security. This security is to protect the transporter's property and his customer's freight. Where Shell have put in facilities elsewhere in the country to meet the transport companies requirements, these same companies have now refused to pay for them. 

Out on the N1 near Stellenbosch is an Engen "Truck Port". Here, there is no security and parking is free. Because of its situation, some distance from any residential areas, there are few incidents of theft. 

Here, almost all the drivers were found standing around their vehicles. Fortunately it was not raining. Their comments were, without exception, complimentary regarding the safety aspect and the clean showers. On the negative side, they found the food at the Wimpy expensive and would like some place to sit under cover. 

ECH Transport's driver Stephen Matjila was the only driver in uniform - a credit to his company. "I stop here because it is safe. The showers are also clean and the women do not bother us. We would like somewhere to wash our things though, like a laundry."

According to staff at Engen Winelands, all holders of EDC cards are entitled to use the showers for free. Ablution access is only through the Wimpy which is open 24 hours. Anyone else wishing to shower has to pay R10 before being given the keys. However, if a vehicle fills on a Friday and is unable to load out of Cape Town until Monday, theoretically the driver will have one free shower only. These ablution facilities were spotless - no doubt the result of strict control.

	Trucks parked at Engen Winelands
All facilities such as toilets, showers, basins - are spotless. There is little security but theft is low.	Engen Winelands - either fill up or pay R10 before getting the key

There is a substantial amount of space within the buildings to have some sort of canteen for drivers that would provide shelter and a recreation area at minimal cost. A soccer match between Bafana Bafana and Burkina Faso was due to begin on TV and the drivers said they would loved to have been able to watch it. 

It's the driver who suffers
Fuel companies seem to resent having to provide full facilities for the truckers and yet are eager or sell their branded diesel-cards. This, in turn, limits the drivers' choice even further. However, whether the responsibility for ensuring that drivers have safe and clean facilities rests with the fuel companies or the fleet owners, at the end of the day it is the driver who suffers.

To see four or five drivers standing around their vehicles with nothing to do but wait to spend another night sleeping in the cab, looks to me like a soul-destroying occupation. It is small wonder that driver fatigue sets in and they seek entertainment from prostitutes. If their own hygiene needs are not taken care of, then what right does a company have to expect the driver to respect its property. In Cape Town, there is no single facility that meets the basic needs of a driver such as adequate security, clean facilities, and a reasonable canteen and recreation area. 

If employers will not pay for decent overnight facilities, then their choice is to do what the drivers from Kobus Minnaar do; drive into Epping, fill up, use the canteen and then drive all the way back to Winelands for free parking. At a round trip of some 80kms at the current price of diesel - what is then free?

Perhaps when fleet owners next visit Cape Town they should, instead of heading for the Waterfront, travel two kilometres past the casino to Epping. It is there they will see the real world.