The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) is gearing up for a strike in July over the multibillion-rand Gautrain Rapid Rail Link, which the federation complains will service only Gauteng’s elite.
Cosatu’s Gauteng provincial secretary, Siphiwe Mgcina, announced on Thursday that the federation had lodged a notice of a planned socio-economic strike under Section 77 of the Labour Relations Act.
”Our main objection is this is a huge investment in a stand-alone project which is going to cost taxpayers a lot of money and will not benefit the majority, just the elite,” said Mgcina. ”We are proposing that this R20-billion should be invested in the current existing infrastructure such as Metrorail.”
Mgcina said Cosatu had filed the paperwork with the National Economic Development and Labour Council, which would determine the process for negotiations.
”Before the strike proceeds, our labour law implores parties to reach agreement, and so we shall be undertaking to reach agreement on these issues,” said Cosatu.
Mgcina said it was hoped negotiations over the dispute would begin soon, preferably within the next three weeks.
He said Metrorail had an ageing infrastructure but still served 200 000 commuters daily, and that the money could be better spent on upgrading the bus and taxi services.
A provincial government report released last year, titled A Strategic Agenda for Transport in Gauteng, underscored the need for new infrastructure. It said the average age of the 1 750 rail coaches in service was 30 years, with some as old as 45 years.
The Gauteng department of public transport, roads and works was not available for comment.