Striking bus drivers target Easter weekend

12 April 2017 - 15:59 By Kgaugelo Masweneng And Aphiwe Deklerk
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Long-distance bus operations have ground to a halt in Durban as a result of a nationwide bus strike
Long-distance bus operations have ground to a halt in Durban as a result of a nationwide bus strike
Image: Kgaugelo Masweneng

Striking bus drivers say that they “targeted” the Easter travelling season to demand a salary increase of between 12 and 15 percent from their employers.

The strike‚ which began on Wednesday morning‚ has seen thousands on commuters stranded nationwide. Taxi ranks have seen lengthy queues as bus commuters tried to find alternative transport to work.

If the strike continues some long distance commuters are likely to be affected.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) was on Tuesday at the forefront of a march outside the Greyhound depot in Johannesburg.

NUMSA shop steward and Greyhound bus driver‚ Sibusiso Ntombela says that the Easter travelling season is exactly what they needed to get a faster response from employers.

  • Durban bus terminal a ghost town due to national bus strikeLong-distance bus operations have ground to a halt in Durban as a result of a nationwide bus strike‚ leading to growing fears that thousands of commuters could be affected over the Easter long weekend. 

“We targeted the Easter season on purpose. They need a push. They are only giving us the increase (over a three year period)‚ but we demand 12 months for new negotiations.

"We are on action from today‚ until our needs are met. We are against "foot on pedal" (system)‚ which means that a driver is only on duty while behind the wheel. But we drive long distance which means that there are always two drivers on duty on a bus‚ so ultimately they split the payment between the two‚ which is unfair because both are on duty‚" said Ntombela.

The drivers are demanding a 15% salary increase‚ while employers are offering seven and a half percent. Drivers are also requesting a housing subsidy of R3000. “We currently don't have a medical aid‚ and so it must be made available for us with an 80% employee‚ and 20% employer contribution. We also demand an in-sourcing of all cleaning‚ workshop‚ and technical workers‚" Ntombela added.

  • Commuters stranded‚ late for work as bus strike kicks offThousands of commuters have been left stranded as bus drivers went on strike on Wednesday. 

Another Greyhound driver‚ Siya Moji‚ is disgruntled with the working conditions they are subjected to as drivers.

"We want an increase for a better living. Our hours are irregular‚ we demand 12 hours to be our normal working hours and not the 14 hours as the employer suggests.

"We want a stable salary‚ not based on shift. Our job description should be in line with our job‚ I don't want to be a driver and divert to being a mechanic when the bus breaks down" Moji said

South African Transport Workers’ Union spokesperson‚ Zanele Sabela‚ said their workers will not be marching but will be congregating in different bus depots.

She said the drivers can’t be blamed for taking advantage of the Easter weekend as they had been trying to negotiate with the employer since the end of January.

  • Bus strike deal 'urgent'As a nationwide bus strike planned for today is set to affect thousands of commuters, the Department of Transport says it has no "plan B" to help stranded passengers. 

“We would think that the employer knowing that this is a particularly busy time for transport would be able to come to the table. But what we have seen so far ...they don’t show care for their workers‚ for commuters and for the South African public‚” she said.

She said they are waiting for a formal offer on the table‚ not via the media‚ as they were willing to negotiate. Sabela said as things stood‚ Easter weekend travel is likely to be affected by the strike.

“From the time we began mediation ... they have not demonstrated any commitment to engage meaningfully with the demands‚” she said.

She said other demands included working conditions like long working hours for drivers‚ which posed a risk for both their members and commuters.

“We have a situation where drivers who drive long distances sleep on the bus ...there is no accommodation‚” she said.

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