The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) said on Friday train services were running smoothly despite Fedusa and Untu union members embarking on a strike.
PRASA spokesperson Nana Zenani said employees not affiliated to Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) and United National Transport Union (Untu) members were not on strike. As a result, only a few employees had not reported to work while some only reported at certain times.
"There have been no incidents reported thus far," she said.
Marches have been planned in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria on Friday morning to protest poor and dangerous passenger train services. Unions have pointed to perpetually late trains, deliberate acts of arson and endless fatal accidents as key points of contention.
"Fedusa wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare the passenger rail crisis a national disaster and deploy the army to stabilize the situation while crafting a decisive way forward," Fedusa spokesperson Frank Nxumalo said.