Sanral contract workers block N1
Picketing Sanral contract workers blocked the N1 highway in Midrand as they marched to their head office on Tuesday morning to demand wage hikes.
The workers, some carrying knobkerries, marched on the N1 from the New Road off-ramp to their head offices and, in the process, disrupted the flow of traffic. Some motorists complained they had been stuck for more than an hour.
#Sanral people tired of just sitting in their offices have decided to sit on the N1 North
— Barry Boyce (@BarryBoyce211) May 3, 2016
N1 North blocked by #Sanral contract workers,what a traffic !!!
— JA13U Makhokho (@jabu_makhokho) May 3, 2016
N1 north is slooooow... Avoid scamral is striking
— Zunaid Khan (@Naidi) May 3, 2016
When a drive from Centurion to Midrand feels like a 3 hour drive....Traffic is a mess on the N1😢
— GetItFweshaa. (@Fweshfweezah) May 3, 2016
It's 9:45 am and there's still traffic on the N1 S, 😩😩 si late sonke na bethuna!! 😩😩😏 #GautengChronicles
— Phumeza Mxaku (@peaqay) May 3, 2016
Operations manager of Teti Traffic, the Sanral contractor which employs the picketing workers, Peru Pillay, said: “There were salary negotiations with workers, who were looking at getting a 130% increase but the company was offering 7%”.
Pillay said the workers were allowed to have a protected picket, which was meant to be around the Samrand area, and not on the N1 highway.
The contract workers claim that their wages have not been increased since 2012, a claim Pillay disputed.
“Salaries were adjusted according to inflation, but the matter will be heard by the CCMA tomorrow,” said Pillay. - ANA
Protestors have blocked the road leading to Sanral's offices where they want to hand over their memorandum.