Gauteng Roads and Transport Committee Media Statement on the ongoing Gautrain strike
The Roads and Transport Committee in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature under the leadership of Chairperson Mafika Mgcina is deeply concerned about the ongoing strike affecting the Gautrain operations and services.
On Wednesday 8th August 2018, the Committee received news reports that the wage talks between operating company Bombela and United National Transport Union (Untu) have deadlocked at the CCMA.
This prolonged strike by the Workers in the Bombela concessionaire is now entering its 10th day and it’s affecting all those involved including the Commuters who rely heavily on the Gautrain Service to get to work.
The Committee has every right to be deeply concerned about this impasse between the Untu and Bombela due to the fact that the Committee is empowered by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa to hold the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, as well as it’s entities, accountable through it’s oversight, law-making and public participation mandates. These mandates are carried out to ensure that the executives in the Department and it’s entities deliver on their respective mandates in relation to Transport infrastructure, Transport Operations, Transport Regulations competencies in the Gauteng Province.
In addition to these oversight roles by the Committee relating to the Gauteng Roads and Transport Department, the Committee is also empowered by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa to oversee the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) which is responsible for Gautrain rail operations through the Bombela Concionarre signed with the Gauteng Provincial Government.
In this regard, the Committee calls upon the parties involved in the bargaining council to speed up the negotiation process on the demands made by Bombela workers as this impasse is negatively affecting the Gautrain workers and the mobility of Gautrain passengers.
All those affected by this strike play a critical role in strengthening the status of Gauteng as the economic hub of the country.
It is for this reason that the Committee will also be urgently seeking a meeting with the MEC Ishmael Vadi and the GMA CEO, Jack van der Merwe in the next coming days to find ways of addressing this urgent and critical matter.
Issued by the GPL’s Media Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Roads and Transport:
Mafika Mgcina
Cell: 082 385 8792
Enquiries:
Thebe Khumalo
Cell: 072 266 1021
E-mail TKhumalo@gpl.gov.za
