Numsa warns of full-blown bus strike in Tshwane
The National Metalworkers Union of South Africa (Numsa) has warned of a full-blown strike in Tshwane if the city does not heed its demands around transportation for workers.
Hundreds of Numsa members from the three agencies responsible for running of Tshwane's Areyeng BRT system marched to city's headquarters on Friday.
The union is unhappy over a lack of transport allowances for drivers of Areyeng bus rapid transit system.
Ahead of the march it said the transport allowance is a burning issue for Numsa members and they have been raising the demand for a transport allowance and for safe, reliable transportation for a long time.
"Our members are expected to start work at 4am and knock off after 9pm," explained Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola.
"There is no safe reliable transport at that time and our members risk their lives trying to get to and from work. At the same time, they spend a fortune of their meagre wages on alternative transportation."
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Hlubi-Majola said the city's MMC of Roads and Transport Dikeledi Selowa is due to meet with the management of the different agencies this weekend.
"She promised that she will organise a meeting with all the management team of the agencies this weekend to see if there is any funding available in the city’s budget to help with transport allowance. She also promised to respond in writing to our demands by the deadline of Wednesday the 18th of May.
"We will be waiting with keen interest from a response from the city to our demands. If they fail to respond adequately to our demands, our members from TRT and TAIO have instructed us to serve the city with a 48-hour notice for a secondary strike to join workers at Xtremetec. This strike will also include Fullserve Security workers. The strike will be a total shut down of all Areyeng BRT services."
