Buses to run again

Tshwane bus commuters can breathe a sigh of relief as the Tshwane bus service operations is due to resume today following an illegal strike by the drivers last week.

Drivers affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) downed tools last Wednesday demanding answers regarding outstanding overtime payment.

“The striking workers resolved on Friday evening to go back to work the following day, after the City of Tshwane’s management had served them with a notice on Friday morning, informing them that the strike was unprotected,” City of Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said.

On Wednesday, the drivers refused to take their shifts from 12 noon, closing all gates at all the depots to prevent the buses from exiting the depots.

“The Tshwane metro police department has been on site, monitoring the situation. The striking workers initially refused to divulge reasons for their downing of tools,” Bokaba said.

The city’s chief operations officer James Murphy met with the workers last week to personally address the issue of outstanding overtime payment and assured them that the process to ensure overdue payment was made to them was underway.

One of the “unreasonable” demands by the striking workers, Bokaba said, was the removal of a shift supervisor, a demand the city’s management refused to comply with.

The city condemned the frequent work stoppages by the Tshwane bus service employees, Bokaba said.