N3 re-opens as truck companies count the costs

A transportation and logistics industry expert says the estimated cost of the damage caused by violent protesters in Mooi River is around R200 million.

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Authorities say 23 trucks were set alight near the toll plaza - the second such incident in Mooi River in a month - on Sunday night. 

Several other heavy-duty-vehicles were damaged.

Gavin Kelly is the Technical and Operations Manager for the Road Freight Association of South Africa.

"Let's say 30 trucks, it's seven million rand a shot, it's R210 million that's just been lost in terms of the goods and the vehicles," says Kelly. "And then there's the knock-on effect in terms of salaries, in terms of medical costs, in terms of impacts further down the line."

Kelly says he understands the the protests to be about foreign nationals being hired as truck drivers.

The N3 Toll Concession's Con Roux says clean-up operations are still underway, but adds, one lane on the northbound side of the highway has been re-opened for traffic.

Roux says the entire south-bound carriageway remains closed.