An illegal checkpoint manned by security forces in the Bahr el Ghazal region. 2021. (Photo: Peer Schouten and Ken Matthysens report).

Some members of the public have blamed the alleged extortion of East African truck drivers at illegal checkpoints along Juba-Nimule Road and waterways on the one-year delay in salary payment for the armed forces.

Regional truckers transporting goods into South Sudan have laid down their tools for over a week, protesting illegal checkpoints and extortion along the Juba-Nimule highway.

This has left more than 3,000 trucks stranded at the border, with commercial goods unable to reach South Sudanese markets.

Despite interventions by the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) to ban these illegal trade barriers, the truckers remain adamant, citing ongoing security concerns and the need for further dialogue.

Sudi Mwatela, Spokesperson of East Africa Drivers Union, said the drivers will continue the strike until major issues affecting their operations in South Sudan are resolved.

Reacting to the strike, some South Sudanese citizens have described the alleged extortion and harassment of truck drivers along the lifeline highway as a shame to the country.

They attribute the presence of illegal checkpoints manned by the armed forces along major roads and waterways to none-payment of salaries and encouraged the government to take care of the welfare of soldiers.

Speaking on Eye Radio’s Sundown Show, some of the callers expressed worries saying this will aggravate the already high commodity prices in the market.

“This is unfortunate. Those coming from Nimule are checked and maybe cleared by the customs. Why again along the road. I know since Sudan, once any entry of commodities is checked, the issue is complete,” said John (not his real name).

Another listener we have called Matthew said: “The goods come to help South Sudan and soldiers disturbing them with taxes all the way is a shame. It’s not good.”

“Let those responsible address the issue. There is no soldier or traffic who doesn’t have a head. What the spokesperson of the truck drivers said is that at every check, payment is require, this is a shame.”

A researcher from the Danish Institute for International Studies found in a 2021 publication that illegal checkpoints taxes in South Sudan were the most expensive in the world.

Since independence in 2011, the number of checkpoints has nearly doubled and checkpoint taxes have increased by 300%, the study found, adding that these ‘transit taxes’ are mostly illegal.

For two years, the study mapped 319 checkpoints along major trade routes in South Sudan, of which 253 (79%) are roadblocks and 66 (21%) river checkpoints.

One more caller encourages the national government to pay the salaries of soldier “because without money, these people will not refrain from this issue.”

“We are not encouraging chaos but what is I see, hunger brings all these issues. I don’t believe soldiers would do these to civilians, but because the country doesn’t care about the soldiers, this is the reason.”

“We want to government to respond to the drivers and we want the national government to implement the resolutions of the governors’ forum and remove all the illegal checkpoints,” said another.

“And there has to be a tax system. It is not any one to collect taxes but the National Revenue Authority which is its responsibility.”

Silas Majok who is Secretary General of Nimule Clearance Agents warned – in an interview with Eye Radio on Thursday – that if the government doesn’t urgently resolve the drivers’ complaints, the strike could seriously affect South Sudan’s markets since the highway is the main route for importing goods into the country.