Tshwane CBD gridlocked as striking municipal bus drivers block roads
The entire Tshwane central business district was gridlocked on Monday morning as disgruntled municipal bus drivers went on strike, seeking an increase in wages.
"I received the first report at about 06:00 that municipal bus drivers had parked their vehicles and left with their keys," Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) spokesperson Isaac Mahamba told News24 on Monday.
"We are engaging the City bus manager to find ways to move the buses, as the original keys are not here," he added.
The strike action has affected every street leading into the CBD, Mahamba said.
"This includes your Francis Baard, Madiba, Lilian Ngoyi and Sisulu streets," he explained.
EWN reported that the drivers, affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu), were seeking an 18% increase.
MMC for Roads and Transport Sheila Senkubuge told News24 that the City was aware the protest would be going ahead. However, measures put in place at the depot, where the buses were parked, had not prevented workers from taking the vehicles out.
"We were informed last week about the wages strike, but what we are seeing now is opportunistic elements, where drivers decided to use the municipal property.
"We are constantly engaging Samwu, and we have no issues with the strike, but what is unacceptable is to use the municipality's property to inconvenience the entire City," she told News24.
Metro police, who were busy diverting traffic from the CBD, could not confirm when the affected roads would be open again.
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