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BL Premium reports that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) is on Monday expected to challenge a decision by Gautrain to fire about 300 bus drivers.
According to the union, the Gautrain bus service dismissed the workers for refusing to drive buses that are unroadworthy and without permits. “Workers have been illegally locked out of employer premises in Midrand, hence the delay in Gautrain buses,” the union advised. Gautrain spokesperson Kesagee Nayager said: “All Gautrain buses are fully registered with valid licences as well as certificates of roadworthy. Not all buses have valid operating licences and we are in discussion with the department of roads & transport to expedite the issuance of these operating licences.” Nayager went on to say that workers who had embarked on an “illegal work stoppage have been issued with notices of dismissal and management is in discussion with Samwu in this regard. The work stoppage and dismissal of workers has impacted the bus service. We have been operating a limited bus service at all stations aside from Rosebank, Sandton and Rhodesfield.” Samwu’s Ester Mtatyana indicated: “Plus or minus 300 workers have been fired. Our members are not on strike, they are just refusing to drive buses that are unroadworthy and lack operating permits. Some of these buses have been sitting without permits for 12 months. Our members are saying they can no longer drive the buses because they get traffic fines of R2,500, which they have to pay out of their own pockets.”
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page