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North West Star employees call off bus strike

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Employees at North West Star have called off their strike which left commuters in the Hamanskraal and Moretele areas, north of Pretoria stranded.

The employees were accusing the bus company management of failing to pay their weekly and monthly salaries.

The bus company which is a subsidiary of the North West Transport Investment, an entity owned by the provincial Transport Department has reportedly suffered revenue losses due to the nationwide lockdown.

The two day strike left a negative impact on commuters with some saying they were afraid they would lose their jobs for failing to show up at work, due to the bus strike.

The bus company management agreed to sell bus tickets on discounted amounts for next week, as a way to reimburse commuters for the two days.

Depot manager Jimmy Lekgoathi says they will also pay workers as promised after meetings with all the stakeholders.

Lekgoathi says, “The management and the workers had a meeting, in the meeting it was agreed that the service will resume… Drivers will be operating their shifts as normal…”

“We are also busy resolving our internal problems, we are going to take care of the lost trips by commuters, by giving them discounts when they purchase tickets for the following week, we are going to give them a discount equal to the trips lost,” added Lekgoathi.

Bus drivers and other company employees, most of whom are members of trade union South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) agreed to resume bus operations.

SATAWU spokesperson Nelson Madumo says their members will resume working on conditions that they get their salaries as promised.

“We have reached a consensus as labour as well as the members that represent as SATAWU, that as employees, because of the plea that was made by the MEC and the administrator, they will be able to go to work because their jobs are very important to them and then they’ll wait until they get their pay on the 10th.”

The management has assured workers that they will be paid their outstanding salaries next Wednesday.

Article by: Salang Motsepe

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