On 15 August 2025, the Western Cape Mobility Department held a Truck Driver Wellness intervention at the Somerset West Weighbridge on the N2.
Free health screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and eye health were provided, and drivers were given a platform to voice their concerns to key partners and stakeholders, including road safety, emergency services, insurers, and medical professionals.
The initiative responds to a harsh reality: freight drivers often face long hours, irregular meals, limited access to clinics or rest facilities, and fatigue a major contributing factor to road accidents. By offering health checks and an open forum for discussion, the campaign aimed to surface real-world issues and far-reaching solutions.
The event also promoted a framework for improving truck stops. The Western Cape Mobility Department developed the Truck Stop Improvement Framework and a Truck Stop Assessment checklist. The Truck Stop Assessment Checklist was developed to assist municipalities and the private sector to create facilities that would improve driver wellness, improve the quality of the service that truck drivers provide and improve road safety.
According to Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku, “Our economy depends heavily on the freight sector, and this industry relies on healthy, well-supported drivers.” The wellness campaign is thus more than an outreach, it is a deliberate investment in the people who keep the Western Cape moving.
