HIV battling South Africa’s growing band of women truckers

It’s a lonely, tough and dangerous job and has mostly seen as a typically male role. But because of the devastating toll of HIV/Aids on South Africa’s male truck drivers female truckers are in high demand.

Single mother Eunice Sikhunyane clocks on at 5.30pm climbs into her cabin, turns on the ignition and spends the next nine hours driving a 16-wheel, 28-tonne truck through the night. She is part of a growing group of workers. In South Africa, about one in four truckers are estimated to be HIV positive. It is a job that means long stopovers away from home and easy access to prostitutes. Every year, about 3,000 truck drivers die from Aids as well as accidents, armed hijackings, and alcoholism, according to a recent report in the Guardian newspaper. The industry says it needs 15,000 new recruits each year. Women are often seen as more likely to take care of themselves and their vehicles.

Eunice, 36, earns about £350 a month working the night shift for Rennies haulage company. She has seen the culture of promiscuity among male drivers. "Most of the guys sleep with prostitutes and don't know if she's sick or not sick," she told the newspaper. "Maybe he will buy a lady and the next day he'll go with his wife." Truck driving can be dangerous for men and potentially more so for women on deserted, poorly lit roads. And like Eunice, most women drivers prefer to work at night so they can look after children during the day. "I've seen lots of hijacks and accidents but it hasn't happened to me," she said. "There was a lady I used to see very often. One day I heard she had a breakdown and called for help. Before they could get to her, some guys came and raped her. "Most of the guys know my truck is 'the lady's truck'. Maybe they'll try to rape me, but I'm keeping my truck … I'm not afraid, I know God is with me, guiding my truck. I don't think anyone can touch me."

Between 19% and 28% of male truck drivers are HIV positive, according to estimates by Trucking Wellness, aimed at South Africa's 70,000 truck drivers.

By Hayley Jarvis for SOS Children