A Transnet strike in the Western Cape and Northern Cape kicked off on Wednesday with rail services in the Cape Town area severely affected.
The South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) said more than 5 000 employees downed tools to protest ”management’s unilateral decisions about restructuring the company”.
Cape Town station was quiet in the morning rush hour on Wednesday as a strike by three transport unions brought the Metrorail train service to a virtual standstill.
Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said only 20 trains were running in the entire system, cutting the usual commuter service to a minimum. Announcements at the station told commuters that most services had been cancelled. The situation was expected to improve once peak hours were over.
Satawu, the United Transport and Allied Trade Union (Utatu) and the United Association of South Africa (Uasa) are participating in the strike. The Transnet restructuring programme involves the disposal of non-core businesses.
About 100 union members gathered in District Six for a planned march on Parliament on Wednesday morning. They have also been affected by the strike.
Metrorail was offering just a skeleton train service and protesters were unable to get to town to participate in the march.
Uasa’s Dennis George said although the unions are represented at Nedlac, currently Transnet’s management is ”both player and referee” in the ongoing negotiations.
”Government is sitting with its arms folded and hoping that workers get tired of striking and roll over and play dead,” he said.
George emphasised the strike is not just against possible job losses.
”It’s about restructuring in a way that’s in the best interest of the country. We believe the restructuring process should be creating jobs,” he said.
The unions will present memorandums outlining their grievances to the Department of Public Enterprises and Transnet management.
Satawu’s Evan Abrahamse said the timeframe for restructuring should be revisited and proper consultation with union members should be allowed.
Chris de Vos, of Utatu, said the level of support for the protest action is ”a crystal-ball situation”, as it is difficult to get members involved.
”Some members argue that they are in a safe environment and won’t be affected by the restructuring, but others see the strike as a sympathy strike and will be prepared to participate,” he said.
Satawu said no march had been planned for the Northern Cape, but workers belonging to the unions would be out in full force in support of the strike.
Workers in the Eastern Cape will down tools on Friday. The bulk of the action will be in East London and Port Elizabeth, where marches are also scheduled.
Satawu said workers will then strike in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the North West from February 20 to 22.
A national strike is expected on March 6. — Sapa