Home

Commuters left stranded as bus strike enters third day

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Commuters who use buses as their primary mode of transport will once again have to find an alternate mode of transport on Friday morning as the nationwide bus strike enters its third day.

This as bus drivers affiliated with South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) downed tools on Wednesday demanding a 12% salary increase.

The decision for the strike came after the employer said they are only prepared to give them a 7% increase.

Employers and unions will return to the negotiating table to try and find a resolution which will put an end to the strike.

This after no agreement was reached on Thursday during negotiations facilitated the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

Commuters are frustrated, as long queues can be seen at taxi ranks and many people are complaining that they can’t afford to use alternative transport because they had already bought monthly bus tickets.

Meanwhile, in KwaZulu-Natal commuters are now using taxis and even bakkies to go to work and back home.

Temperatures are dropping to an average of about 13 degrees in some areas with scattered showers Friday morning in the province, adding to frustrations of the commuters.

Provincial Satawu secretary Edgar Mbina says, “Taxis are now struggling to cope with the increased number of passengers from townships and rural areas to urban industrial areas across the province. Bakkies and ordinary motorists are also making a quick buck from stranded and frustrated commuters.”

WATCH BELOW:

 

Author

MOST READ