Bus drivers back on the job after stayaway

Mbalula mediates over safety concerns

BUS drivers at Autopax, a company owned by the Passenger Rail Agency of SA, have resumed work after a nineday stayaway over safety concerns.

Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula met Autopax officials and workers yesterday afternoon with the aim of resolving the issue.

The workers went on strike after two Translux bus drivers came under attack in separate drive-by shootings minutes apart on the R56 near Ixopo, in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, last month. One driver was killed and the other was critically wounded.

Translux and City to City buses are owned by holding company Autopax, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Prasa.

The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), whose members work for Autopax, said it believed that the shootings were linked to taxi owners whose taxis travelled along the KwaZulu-Natal to Eastern Cape route.

“I welcome the interventions made for them to return to work and register my strongest condemnation for the attacks on bus drivers.

“I will meet taxi and bus union leaders to work towards a peaceful end to this violence,” Mbalula said.

Prasa spokesperson Nana Zenani said all depots and buses were operational.

She said that at the meeting with the workers, it was agreed that interventions would be put in place to ensure the bus drivers’ safety.

Numsa’s spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said that they were happy with some of the agreements that had been reached.

“We are happy because the minister promised that they would beef up the security along routes that have been identified as hot spots,” he said.

Among Numsa’s demands, the union had wanted a meeting called with the taxi organisations and for Autopax to beef up their security.

Thabiso Molelekwa, the SA National Taxi Council spokesperson, said Autopax must write to them and lodge a formal complaint if there was an issue.

“We condemn any action that puts the lives of commuters and industries at risk. We encourage dialogue if there are issues to be addressed, but it is also important that everyone stays in their lanes. That’s the best way to resolve the problems,” said Molelekwa.