Thousands left stranded by transport strike
Bus torched as union protests at plans for business restructuring
About 4,000 people in the Eastern Cape were left stranded and a bus was torched at the stateowned Mayibuye Transport Corporation on Tuesday in a protest over proposed business restructuring.
The worst-affected areas were Reeston, Komani, Alice, and Dube village in King William’s Town, where a bus was burnt to a shell, an incident SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) representative Larry Busika distanced union members from.
Satawu called for the scrapping of the new company structure at Mayibuye, which Busika said would eventually amount to “more wasteful expenditure” in the cash-strapped company.
He said in 2015, when management introduced the new structure, the union engaged the employer and it was agreed at the CCMA that the implementation of the restructuring would be halted until workers were consulted on the changes.
However, the employer has now abandoned that process and is forcefully implementing the new structure.
The union also called on transport MEC Weziwe TikanaGxothiwe to withdraw the labour representative on the Mayibuye board, Zandile Pakati, the wife of BCM mayor Xola Pakati — though she is Satawu’s provincial secretary — and replace her with an inhouse employee.
Satawu also demanded fair implementation of company policies where management would be subjected to disciplinary action when charged, and they want the option to select their own medical aid.
They also demand the cutting of board operational fees, which amounted to R2.9m in 2019.
The union also wants a forensic audit at Mayibuye, which has 218 employees with 88 buses.
Only 37 buses are operational, with the rest waiting to be repaired for two years.
“There were huge salary adjustments for executives, senior managers, and managers because of that restructuring — amounts such as R500,000 adjustments, meaning people who were earning above R1.5m are now going to earn more than R2m,” Busika claimed.
Provincial transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said all the union’s concerns would be taken into consideration. He said everything raised by the protesting workers led by their union was noted.
“But people ought to know that things won’t happen overnight.
“However, the MEC is prepared on issues that concern her and the department.
“She will lend an ear and engage further with the union and find a common ground,” Binqose said.
Busika said the new structuring introduced unnecessary positions. For a small entity like Mayibuye to have five executives — a CEO, an executive for the office of the CEO, CFO, COO and an executive for corporate services — was “too much”.
“All those people are earning more than R2m per annum.”
These were exorbitant salaries when the company was virtually collapsing, he added.
He said their demand for huge salaries and management positions to be reduced was rejected by the board, which was interviewing a COO candidate last week.
Busika distanced the union from the bus that was torched on Tuesday, and said “heads must roll” for the R2m loss.
“Managers and the driver did not comply with company policy by leaving buses on the streets overnight.
“Heads must roll because that’s negligence. That’s taxpayers’ money.”
Binqose said looting was a “serious concern which needs to be looked at” and “unfortunate”, but added it was everyone’s right to protest.
He condemned the torching of the bus and apologised to commuters who had been left stranded.