MyCiTi strike continues amid confusion

Cape Town. 150203. Myciti buses leaving Cape Town depot out of Cape Town. Pic COURTNEY AFRICA

Cape Town. 150203. Myciti buses leaving Cape Town depot out of Cape Town. Pic COURTNEY AFRICA

Published Feb 16, 2015

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Cape Town - The MyCiTi bus drivers’ strike enters day 13 on Monday and the end is not in sight, despite the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) saying there are moves to have Cosatu mediate between it and bus company Transpeninsula.

Satawu official Brightness Matwa said on Sunday they would meet Transpeninsula this week and Cosatu would be there to mediate. He could not confirm a date, he said.

Satawu members had gone on an unprotected strike over working conditions and union rights at Transpeninsula, among other issues, Matwa said.

The strike turned violent recently when four MyCiTi buses were attacked in five days. No serious injuries were reported during the attacks, which took place in Salt River – where two incidents occurred – Hout Bay and Camps Bay. Satawu has condemned the attacks.

“This week there will be some engagement,” Matwa said.

“Cosatu has offered to play a mediating role on this issue so we can resolve it. It is our intention to get back to the negotiating table with the employer, facilitated by a mediator.

We are looking to bring this strike to an end.”

But Transpeninsula director Ghaalid Behardien dismissed Matwa’s claims of a meeting as untrue. ”It is completely untrue that Satawu has arranged a meeting with us and that Cosatu will mediate. The strike is still ongoing and no progress has been made.”

Behardien said the company had reported the attacks to the police and the company’s insurers, and would pursue criminal charges if witnesses came forward.

When asked about Behardien’s response, Matwa said: “We did not arrange a meeting officially. It will be arranged by an external organisation, Cosatu.”

Cosatu provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich said the federation had offered to mediate and Satawu had accepted. It had yet to hear from the city and Transpeninsula.

Ehrenreich said the city “was holding back efforts to negotiate”.

Mayoral committee member for transport Brett Herron said: “As far as I am aware, Transpeninsula Investments has been asking for Satawu to return to the negotiating table for the past 10 days.”

Herron said Satawu had apparently abruptly abandoned dialogue when it embarked on the strike. “If it is true that they have agreed to return to talks, then that would be very welcome news,” he said.

“I am grateful to the many drivers who did not strike and who kept our service running largely as scheduled, despite calls from Cosatu’s Tony Ehrenreich, who last week encouraged other drivers to join in.”

The city said the strike’s effect has been limited as all scheduled MyCiTi routes operated normally.

Cape Times

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