* New information indicates that a truck's tyre, not a truck, was set alight in Joburg CBD on Wednesday morning. We apologise for the error.
Johannesburg - A large truck tyre was set alight in Joburg’s CBD on Wednesday morning during a protest by Joburg Road Agency workers.
Smoke billowed in the air from the burning tyre on Pixley ka Seme Street (formerly Sauer Street), with traffic severely affected.
On Tuesday, traffic was also brought to a standstill on parts of Pixley ka Seme Street after JRA workers blocked off traffic with trucks and other vehicles.
The workers brandished jackhammers in the air, set fire to trash and spilled black tar onto the doorsteps of their head office to express their frustration at what they called pitiful salaries.
Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers had their hands full when they were forced to redirect traffic.
They also had to endure the wrath of enraged taxi commuters, all of this while SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) officials met with JRA management in a bid to discuss and get feedback on certain issues between them.
According to one of the JRA workers, Bernard Makhubela, the fulfilment of the seven percent increment on their salaries which was promised to them last year, was one of the grievances.
Makhubela told The Star that workers performed a variety of tasks but earn only around R5 000 a month.
“We earn peanuts; are we the workers or the slaves?” he said.
The workers also questioned the qualifications of acting managing director, who they claimed does not have a civil engineering degree.
While the meeting was underway, throngs of JRA workers, dressed in orange overalls, gathered outside the office and sang and danced in protest.
They turned away any vehicle that attempted to drive through the section of the road that they had cordoned off.
On Tuesday JRA spokeswoman Bertha Peter-Scheepers confirmed that the JRA board agreed for a delegation to meet with the union.
Samwu deputy regional chairperson Vuyani Singozo could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.
The Star