Tshwane withdraws bus services amid strike violence

Tshwane Bus Services and A Re Yeng were the latest operations to be withdrawn in the city this week after several incidents of alleged organised violence and destruction of property. 

Three trucks from the water and sanitation division, an A Re Yeng bus, a Tshwane bakkie and a water tanker were damaged in violent attacks in Pretoria CBD this week. Four of the vehicles were torched and at least one employee was assaulted and taken to hospital in a serious condition.

MMC for roads and transport Katlego Mathebe said the decision to suspend operations on Wednesday was in the interest of the safety of commuters and employees.

“It is important that we protect city infrastructure from these criminal acts. It is now clear that the city is no longer dealing with an illegal strike action, we are now dealing with a well-co-ordinated criminal attack on our infrastructure. I would like to apologise to our commuters for the inconvenience caused,” he said.

The city will intensify efforts to get the bus services back on track when it is safer to do so, Mathebe added. 

Some City of Tshwane workers downed tools in July after the metro said it did not have the cash to increase wages. The SA Local Government Bargaining Council this week dismissed an application by the Tshwane metro to exempt it from implementing the last leg of a multi-term wage deal reached in the council in 2021.

The city administration said on Tuesday it intends to challenge the ruling.

MMC for human settlements Ofentse Madzebatela called for swift police action after the attacks.

Madzebatela said the police escort was delayed and the driver went out alone from Prince’s Park depot to region 4, where he was “ambushed [and] ... assaulted”.

A criminal case has been opened, he added. 

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