A lengthy strike in the public transport sector will impact negatively on the economy, the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) said on Saturday.
Therefore, Sanco supported the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union's (Satawu) call for government intervention to resolve the countrywide bus strike and break the salary negotiations deadlock, Sanco spokesman Jabu Mahlangu said.
“Though the inconvenience affects hundreds of thousands of commuters that are bearing the brunt of the standoff, it is the poor working class commuting daily to and from work due to apartheid spatial planning that are the hardest hit, as they cannot afford any alternative to the public transport system," he said.
A protracted strike in the public transport sector would impact negatively on the economy.
“It is in the interest of employers, employees, our economy, [and the] safety of those within our communities who are forced to leave their homes in the early hours of the morning when it is still dark, including those who arrive late at night, that the deadlock is broken and an urgent settlement reached,” Mahlangu said.
Sanco appealed to employers and transport sector unions to show commitment towards the resolution of the impasse and to negotiate in good faith. Bus drivers went on strike on Wednesday over wages, leaving many commuters stranded.