“A widowed woman earns R1 200 a month and is expected to purchase a bus ticket that costs R 800 a month, the Bantu or Homeland Government has introduced this transport service in order to make profit at the expense of a black person,” Delta Mokoena, President of The Bushbuckridge Residents association (BRA), outlined.

Hoedspruit workers’ grievances also included the overloading of busses as it is alleged that one bus can take approximately 50 standing passengers which is dangerous for commuters as well as other road users.

“We also call upon the Department of transport to erect speed humps at the Bavaria bus stop where commuters are dropped off as motorists are driving at a high speed which usually results in injury or death,” added Mokena.

The worker further complained about the absence of shelter at the bus stop to protect the commuters during rainy days.

“We would also like to appeal to the Maruleng Municipality together with the Department of Roads and Transport to please erect lavatories at the bus stop as sometimes we need to relieve ourselves and have to resort to using the bushes around us, and as women we feel like our dignity is being compromised,” Sarah Mokoena, a Hoedspruit Farm worker told the Herald.

The workers concluded by asking the Department of Roads and Transport to intervene and take radical action to solve these challenges and the GNT to not increase the bus fare until the commuter demands are met and to respond within 14 days.

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