NUMSA condemns the City of Joburg for failing to pay the bus operators at Rea Vaya

31 October 2023

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) condemns the City of Joburg, (COJ) for failing to pay the bus operating companies, Pio Trans and Litsamaiso. This failure to pay the bus operators means that workers at Rea Vaya have not been paid! The salaries for this month have not yet been paid and they were due to have been paid by the 25th of October. This has been a problem since the beginning of the year where the City fails to pay, and so workers stay home, and passengers are left stranded. This is incompetence on a grand scale.

We have noted the misleading posts which Rea Vaya has posted on its X account where they claim they are,

“In consultation with the bus operation company to establish the cause of the disruption”.

They know very well why the service has been disrupted and they are hiding behind PR jargon for their failures. They are responsible for this crisis.

Workers cannot be expected to show up for work when they have not been paid their salaries. How can they feed their families, pay for petrol and public transportation when they have not been paid? We condemn the City of Joburg for failing workers, and for failing the public because of their gross incompetence!

We demand to know when they will pay the bus operating company so that workers can receive their salaries.

In the meantime, our members cannot be held responsible for failing to pitch up to work, if they have not received any money for their labour. We are warning the bosses that they better not threaten workers with disciplinary action, because they did not create this crisis. They are victims and they are not slaves. This is not a volunteer program, this is paid employment. If the officials at COJ do not understand this basic principle, they have no business leading the city. They must step aside and let those who are capable of serving the public efficiently, do so.

Aluta continua!

The struggle continues!

Issued by Irvin Jim, NUMSA General Secretary, 31 October 2023