Striking MyCiTi drivers face court

Cape Town - 141029 - Dozens of MyCiTi bus drivers embarked on a wildcat strike and abandoned their buses at the Table View bus stop and walked to the Usasaza station in Dunoon where they were joined by the community members who set alight tyres in the MyCiTi bus lane. The police dispersed the crowd with stun grenades and rubber bullets. Reporter: Chelsea Geach Picture: David Ritchie

Cape Town - 141029 - Dozens of MyCiTi bus drivers embarked on a wildcat strike and abandoned their buses at the Table View bus stop and walked to the Usasaza station in Dunoon where they were joined by the community members who set alight tyres in the MyCiTi bus lane. The police dispersed the crowd with stun grenades and rubber bullets. Reporter: Chelsea Geach Picture: David Ritchie

Published Oct 31, 2014

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Cape Town - MyCiTi bus drivers who embarked on an illegal strike have been given an ultimatum to return to work on Friday or face legal action.

BG Ncube, chief executive of Kidrogen, one of the city’s four My-CiTi vehicle operating companies, said its lawyers had prepared an urgent application to the Labour Court for an interdict against the 110 drivers who embarked on an illegal “wildcat” strike on Wednesday.

The drivers are demanding a 100 percent wage increase, medical aid and housing subsidies.

According to a report, the drivers are paid R5 000 a month.

“We are not out to victimise the drivers, but the strike is illegal and they are not protected. We have now issued them with a final ultimatum to return to work. If they fail to do so, our lawyers have already secured a date in the Labour Court,” Ncube said.

The strike started on Wednesday and continued into day two on Thursday, affecting MyCiTi services in Table View, Atlantis, Melkbosstrand and Century City.

Brett Herron, the mayoral committee member for transport, said striking drivers on Thursday assaulted a non-striking bus driver and forced passengers off the MyCiTi bus in Parklands.

On Thursday morning, the strikers stoned a MyCiTi bus at the Usasaza station in Dunoon, but

police spokesman Tembinkosi Kinana said no complaints had been lodged.

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Cape Times

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