Hundreds of striking Autopax bus drivers delivered a memorandum of their demands to the company’s management on Wednesday afternoon.
The group, mainly members of the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu), was gathered at Beyers Naude Square in central Johannesburg.
They marched there from Park Station on Wednesday morning.
Reading out the memorandum, spokesperson Ronnie Mamba said the strike, which started last week, was ”a just and proper action by workers”.
”Our demands for better working conditions are fully justified as is our contention that the growth and progress of Autopax depends not only on the sole wisdom of its management, but the crucial role played by its workforce as well.”
With better working conditions, the performance of the company would be improved, he said.
Autopax, a division of Transnet providing bus transport, has a fleet of 240 buses and makes 52 long-distance trips every day, including trips to neighbouring countries.
Satawu demanded that Autopax be transformed to be representative of the demographics of the country.
”After 13 years of independence, a company of Autopax’s nature must show commitment to sufficiently transform from a white, male company.”
Workers also demanded that they be consulted over decision-making processes, proper management and salary increases.
”The management must demonstrate capacity to manage the company properly and drive it towards profitability, not insolvency,” Mamba said.
”Workers’ salaries must also be adjusted on an annual basis, in accordance with the inflation rate.”
He said workers were expecting a response from the company within 48 hours.
”If they don’t respond, we will intensify our action.” — Sapa