Bus drivers back at work but only halfway
Striking Tshwane bus drivers are back at work, but are not selling tickets to commuters.
Thabang Kuaho
Striking Tshwane bus drivers resumed working on Tuesday but were refusing to sell tickets to casual commuters, the metro said.
This meant municipal buses were only carrying passengers with prepaid tickets.
Spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said an agreement was reached on Monday with the drivers — all members of the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) — that they would be back at work on Tuesday.
“We discovered later in the day that they had resumed working but are refusing to sell tickets,” said Mashigo.
“This is unacceptable. The metro expects the drivers to continue to sell cash tickets in the buses, carry the money bags and pick up all commuters as usual.”
Mashigo said the metro was dealing with the matter internally.
Samwu said the drivers were opposed to carrying cash in buses as this exposed them to the risk of robbery.
Spokesperson Mpho Tladinyane said both parties agreed on Monday that the drivers would not be required to sell tickets in buses.
“Both parties agreed that drivers would no longer carry cash while on duty. Commuters will have to buy tickets at designated sale points,” Tladinyane said.
A frustrated commuter, who asked to remain anonymous, said a bus driver refused to sell him a ticket on Tuesday morning and this caused a huge inconvenience to him.
“The office in town does not sell daily tickets and not every commuter travels daily,” he said.
He proposed that weekly tickets with no expiry dates be sold.
“This will not restrict commuters, enabling them to travel whenever they want to.”
Last Wednesday, Samwu affiliated bus drivers downed tools to strike against carrying cash in buses.
Over 80% of the routes were affected by this and the metro urged commuters to continue making alternative transport arrangements.
Both parties are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss their differences.
Also read:
Tshwane bus drivers strike again
Commuters stranded after bus driver strike
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