Yesterday, we asked a question a about the experiences truck drivers endure transporting goods in and out of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Feedback is not encouraging.
Corruption, violence, lawlessness and long hours awaiting clearance at variance check points.
Here is a narrowtion of one of the drivers.
He writes.
There is no truck driver who enters Congo and leaves without a story to tell. Entering Congo is hell.
Congolese officials, traffigo and citizens take turns in siphoning money from every truck driver.
FEES
1. Upon entry traffigo – 1000franc
2. Customs upon – 2000franc
3.immigration – 2000franc
Truck park entry
4.traffigo – 1000franc
5. Scanner controller- 1000franc
6. After scan traffigo – 1000franc to give you park space.
7. Exit truck park, traffigo – 1000franc
8. Immigration – 2000franc
You go to Whisky, police at Old Peage 1000franc
9. Before Whisky entry, Immigration 2000franc
Documents checking 1000franc
10. Whisky entry,data collector 2000fran
11. Inside Whisky, road blocks are barricaded with cones by traffigo-1000franc each road block to pass ×5 = 5000franc þjust inside whisky
12. Exit. Customs 1000franc
13. Covid 1000..Congo is the only country still charging for covid to truck drivers in the region
14. after whisky peage,local boys stand at the speed hump ad jumps on your truck as u slow down,demands money in full view of police
15. KANYAKA..local boys harass ad Rob us in day light,if you don’t give them money they cut your suiz pipes linking horse ad trailer
16. Kimpembe police 1000
17. Likasi peage police 1000
18. Inside the mines, offloading period. You pay them minimum 10 000franc in order to be considered to be offloaded after many days of waiting.
Congo is the only country with four 4 borders within itself for cargo control. Mutaka, Kanyaka, Whisky and Kasumbalesa. All these points truck drivers spend many many days on a queue called musululu in their language. Inhuman treatment and delays caused by corruption of controlling officials, and always on they look out for a slight mistake so that they can charge you exorbitantly for their pockets.
They form many fake documents verification points that you can’t pass without leaving them money.
My prayer is one day all trucks to stop entering Congo because of the inhuman treatment we receive.
Every driver has his own tale to tell. No driver is happy to enter Congo. Never!
What I wrote here is just a quarter of the abuse we encounter.
I have not even counted and written how much we loose when coming back loaded. Mambo sana
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