BL Premium reports that the City of Tshwane says it will take action against disgruntled metro bus drivers who abandoned their posts this week and left many in the lurch.
The metro, which is run by a DA-led coalition, described the action by members of the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) as an illegal labour action. “The members are alleged to be aggrieved about overtime payments and salary increases. […] In line with the collective agreement, the city’s labour relations unit will issue a letter informing the Samwu regional office to direct its members to return to work within 48 hours,” the municipality indicated on Tuesday. But, Samwu Tshwane’s Valentine Matlala said it was a “complete lie” that the workers’ grievance was about salaries. “Workers are not striking based on salaries. In the main, this matter is about occupational health and safety issues dating back to May 2022, which have not been resolved,” he indicated. Matlala said Tshwane Bus Services employees were working under unsafe conditions with no lighting, no functioning toilets, and no cleaning materials for the buses. “The buses are not cleaned properly with chemicals, there is no material to clean them such as soaps and sanitisers, also the sewerage system in the depots is constantly blocked. The toilets are not working, they are blocked and not operational at all. I’m even afraid to ask our female colleagues where they go to relieve themselves,” Matlala said. On Wednesday, a Tshwane spokesperson stressed that the city had not received any formal grievance from the bus drivers.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
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