Truck drivers and trucking companies have not been won over by a government action plan aimed at tackling tension on the highways.

The "11-point action plan" announced on 20 June by an interministerial transport committee has been greeted with doubt and trepidation by truck drivers and some trucking industry insiders.

The action plan is a response to tensions and instability in the sector, which culminated in last week's blockages of national routes, including the N3 near Van Reenen's Pass, by truck drivers protesting against the hiring of foreigners.

The plan calls for the urgent appointment of a trucking industry task team, enforcement of visa requirements for immigrant drivers, a relook at foreign driving licences, registration and regulation of trucking companies to ensure they comply with labour laws, amendment of national road-traffic regulations, a review of cross-border road transport regulations and an integrated law enforcement operation.

The All Truck Drivers Foundation (ATDF) has taken partial responsibility for the mayhem.

Many local drivers said they doubted the government would be able to enforce regulations and defuse tensions in the industry.

Foreign drivers said they feared the new regulations would increase xenophobic attacks and other incidents and would result in traffic officials demanding...