The Metrobus service will resume next week following a two-month strike that ended on Wednesday, the City of Johannesburg said.
Spokesperson Gabu Tugwana said the agreement — signed on Wednesday by the representatives of the city, South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) had ”paved the way for resuming the Metrobus service after its suspension almost three weeks ago”.
He said on Wednesday that the Metrobus service would be running next week. The bus service was suspended on March 16 after safety concerns for drivers and commuters related to the strike.
About 21 violent incidents, including three murders of bus drivers, had been recorded since the strike started on January 29.
Union members went on strike on January 29 to protest pay, sick leave and the dismissal of 19 employees.
Samwu’s Johannesburg branch chairperson Moatlhodi Mongale said: ”We [Samwu] are happy with the agreement and the outcome and want to congratulate the city manager for providing leadership when he was required to do so”.
He said the city and Samwu agreed on reinstating three shop stewards and 19 employees.
The shop stewards who were ”unprocedurally” dismissed would be reinstated and given a written warning.
Mongale said the 1999 conditions of service would be reinstated for six months — until October — to deal with the disputed matter of accrued sick leave.
”Those with accumulated sick leave may bank those days and access them when they are sick.”
Mongale said the striking workers would return to work on Tuesday.
He said an agreement was signed by the city manager Mavela Dlamini at 12.30pm after Metrobus’s managing director Bheki Shongwe refused to sign it.
Both the City and Shongwe chose not to comment on why Shongwe refused to sign.
Tugwana said the bus company would use the weekend to ensure the full return of services by the end of next week.
”Metrobus remains committed to provide the highest quality of bus services to the people of Johannesburg and we will continue to do so.”
Tugwana also paid tribute to the Metrobus employees and their families who had been affected by the strike and remained loyal to the service and its clients.
”We all went through a very challenging period.” he said. – Sapa