City of Tshwane slaps 48 bus drivers with additional charges for abscondment

The City of Tshwane slapped 48 Tshwane Bus Service (TBS) drivers with additional charges for abscondment on Friday.

This comes as the protest over wages continues.

The 48 bus drivers are facing charges for involvement in illegal and unprotected strike action and failure to execute their duties in the recent past.

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They were scheduled to appear before a disciplinary committee on Thursday for their past infractions, but the matter was postponed to 19 August 2024.

“The drivers were informed about the deferment of the disciplinary hearing through their trade union representative yesterday and were thus supposed to report for duty this morning, which they did not,” said Tshwane.

“The officials cannot claim to have not known about the hearing’s postponement, as they, of their own volition, elected to be represented by a trade union representative, through whom the city channels correspondence about matters related to the disciplinary hearing.”

The impact of the disruption was felt in the Olivenhoutbosch area, particularly during the morning shifts, as some trips were delayed.

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Wespark 7 and The Orchards, which are high-volume areas, were behind schedule.

Friday’s afternoon shifts were managed by diverting drivers who were on duty to cover all areas; however, they were not within the scheduled times in some areas.

Bus drivers’ strike

In May, Tshwane Bus Service commuters were left stranded during the afternoon shifts after bus drivers abruptly abandoned their duties, according to the city.

According to the city at the time, the bus drivers did so without notifying management or providing specific reasons for their actions.

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“The employees suddenly demanded to see the City Manager before downing their tools,” said the city.

“City management will institute labor processes to ensure that the bus drivers return to work and that normal operations resume.”

At the time, the City’s Labour Relations Management Division said it would issue letters to the bus drivers who abandoned their duties, instructing them to return to work immediately or face the consequences of their actions.

“The city would like to apologise to its loyal TBS commuters for the morning shifts that could not be fulfilled due to the drivers’ abscondment. Their absence from work resulted in a partial interruption of bus operations, and they will now face consequences for this unseemly conduct.

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“The inconvenience caused by the drivers is regrettable and has forced the city to prefer additional charges against them, as they were not authorised to be off duty.

“Furthermore, the city will implement a no-work, no-pay principle.”