Rea Vaya buses back on road, but commuters wary of more strike

2-minute read
09 January 2024 | 11:50 CAT

Rea Vaya buses outside Soccer City. Picture: Taurai Maduna/Eyewitness News

Commuters were again left in the lurge last week as Rea Vaya bus operators went on strike.

The management of Johannesburg rapid bus service Rea Vaya has confirmed the resumption of operations following a two-day illegal strike by bus drivers.

Workers downed tools on Wednesday, complaining of annual bonus payments being split into two phases and being taxed.

The operating company, PioTrans, was placed under business rescue in December 2023, with one of its creditors threatening to seize 25 buses in October.

The NTA said there were complaints of mismanagement and maladministration long before the company went into business rescue.

“The main issue here was that there was no economic evaluation that was done by the taxi industry, and the municipalities got people to do things haphazardly in preparation for the Soccer World Cup in 2010,” said Nationals Taxi Alliance spokesperson Theo Malele.

On Thursday, the business rescue practitioner of PioTrans secured an interdict against the 179 striking employees of the bus service.

Meanwhile, despite being granted an interdict against the workers from going on an unprotected strike, it is, as always, the commuters who suffer the most – especially as our public transport system is in shambles.

“The PioTrans issue should be a case study for other PRT systems not to fall in the same trap,” says Malele.

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie.

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