Tshwane Bus Service workers pitch for work but refuse to drive during service resumption

While most drivers at Tshwane Bus Service (TBS) pitched for work during the bus service resumption on Monday, many refused to drive.

City spokesperson Selby Bokaba said: “TBS operates 160 daily shifts, and only 36 went out. The rest pitched up but refused to drive.”

Ten drivers reported in sick and others called to say they wouldn’t make it for personal reasons. 

On Sunday the city announced TBS and A Re Yeng would resume bus operations on Monday after a lengthy disruption due to an unprotected strike by Tshwane workers.

MMC for roads and transport Katlego Mathebe said bus operations would start alongside “the deployment of police and technology” in the CBD and other parts of the city.

The strike left Tshwane in disarray when workers downed tools in July to force the city to implement salary increases as per an agreement with the South African Local Government Bargaining Council. This after the city said it could not afford the R600m addition to the wage bill because of a shortage in revenue collection.

Bokaba said the city doesn't know how many workers were stranded.

He said they would monitor the situation during the day to see if shifts improved and which routes were not operated.

Action will be taken against the workers who refused to work.

"Firstly, a no-work no-pay principle will apply and the actions of those drivers will be deemed to be in furtherance of the strike, which has been declared unlawful and unprotected by the Labour Court. Furthermore, those employees are in contempt of the permanent court interdict and therefore internal processes will commence immediately," Bokaba said.

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