Truck drivers in southern Africa have continued a boycott of cross-border trips into the Democratic Republic of Congo, citing mounting security concerns, as the Zambian government said it was stepping in to address what it described as increasingly hostile conditions for drivers operating in the neighbouring country.
The protest, led by the Southern Africa Truck Drivers Association, has seen members suspend freight movements across the Zambia–DRC border and was expected to intensify on Tuesday, according to the group’s leadership.
Association president Eugene Ndlovu said the action was a peaceful protest aimed at protecting drivers from violence in the DRC, where several truck drivers have reportedly been attacked and killed in recent months. He told local media that the boycott followed failed attempts to engage authorities on measures to improve driver safety.
“This protest is meant to bring all stakeholders to the table so that we can agree on practical steps to secure the lives of drivers,” Ndlovu said, adding that the operating environment in parts of the DRC had become “increasingly dangerous”.
Reports of violent incidents involving truck drivers have risen, according to the association, with the latest case involving a driver identified as Martin Chivanga, who was reportedly killed on December 14 while operating in the DRC. The association says such attacks have created fear among drivers and disrupted regional supply chains.
In response, the association said it had instructed members to stop crossing the border between Zambia and the DRC, arguing that it had been forced to take protective action after what it described as the failure of both governments to put in place adequate security guarantees.
Zambia’s Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Chipoka Mulenga said the government sympathised with affected drivers and acknowledged the seriousness of the concerns raised. He said authorities were working to address the hostile conditions faced by Zambian truck drivers operating in the DRC.
Mulenga added that discussions were underway to facilitate the repatriation of the body of the driver who was recently killed so that he could be laid to rest in Zambia. “Government understands the pain and fear that drivers are going through, and we are engaging our counterparts to find solutions,” he said.
The boycott threatens to disrupt trade flows along one of southern Africa’s most important transport routes. Zambia and the DRC are closely linked economically, particularly through the copper and cobalt supply chains that underpin the economies of both countries. Thousands of trucks cross the border each month, ferrying minerals, fuel, food and industrial inputs.
The DRC, Africa’s second-largest country by area, has long struggled with insecurity, particularly in its eastern regions, where armed groups have operated for decades. While major border crossings in the south are far from the conflict zones in North Kivu and Ituri, drivers say criminal attacks, extortion and mob violence remain persistent risks along transport corridors.
Truck drivers have in the past complained of harassment, long delays, informal roadblocks and attacks on foreign drivers, particularly during periods of heightened social tension. Industry groups say these conditions raise transport costs, increase insurance premiums and discourage drivers from operating cross-border routes.
Zambia, a landlocked country, depends heavily on road transport through the DRC for access to markets and ports, including routes linking to Angola and the Atlantic Ocean. Any prolonged disruption could affect exports, imports and government revenue, analysts warn.
The current standoff also comes at a time when governments in the region are pushing for deeper trade integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area, which aims to reduce barriers and improve cross-border movement of goods. Persistent insecurity along transport corridors is seen as a major obstacle to those ambitions.
Officials have not said how long it may take to resolve the dispute, but industry observers say dialogue between governments, security agencies and transport unions will be critical. Trucking associations are calling for concrete measures, including security escorts in high-risk areas, rapid response mechanisms for attacks and clearer accountability when incidents occur.
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For now, the association says the boycott will remain in place until credible guarantees are made. “Our members’ lives are at stake,” Ndlovu said. “We cannot resume operations as if nothing is happening.”
As talks continue, the situation underscores the fragile link between security and trade in the region, and how quickly violence or the perception of it can disrupt the movement of goods across borders that are vital to southern Africa’s economies.
