At least 48 Tshwane Bus Service (TBS) drivers are in hot water after they failed to report for duty again on Friday, following their illegal strike action in May.
Their latest absence from work resulted in partial interruption of bus operations and the City of Tshwane threatening to apply the “no-work no-pay principle” in addition to charges of absconding.
It was unclear this time around why drivers downed tools, but in May their union, the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu), said they had concerns over occupational safety and health at their Pretoria West depot.
At the time the union’s regional chairperson Ngwako Mathabathe said the drivers have long-standing concerns about ablution facilities and were concerned about their safety after one of them was attacked in Laudium in April by a group of commuters.
Several attempts to get comment from Mathabathe yesterday about last week’s interruption of bus operations were unsuccessful.
Municipal spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said drivers who absconded from work are facing charges for involvement in an illegal and unprotected strike action, and failure to execute their duties in the recent past.
They were scheduled to appear before a disciplinary committee on Friday for their past infractions, but the matter was postponed to August 19.
Mashigo said the drivers were informed about the deferment of their disciplinary hearing through their trade union representative on Thursday.
They were, therefore, supposed to report for duty the next day, but they failed to pitch, he said.
Mashigo said: “The officials cannot claim to have not known of the hearing’s postponement as they of their own volition elected to be represented by a trade union representative, through whom the City channels correspondence about matters related to the disciplinary hearing.”
The City apologised to its loyal TBS commuters after the drivers’ absence from work resulted in partial interruption of bus operations.
Mashigo said: “The inconvenience by the drivers is regrettable and has forced the City to prefer additional charges against them as they were not authorised to be off duty. Furthermore, the City will implement a no-work no-pay principle.”
Commuters in the Olievenhoutbosch area were left stranded because drivers failed to report for work in the morning shifts, resulting in some trips being delayed.
Wespark 7, as well as the Orchards, which are high-volume commuter areas were behind schedule.
Mashigo said: “The City apologises to bus commuters who have been adversely affected by the disruption.”
Pretoria News