Mass Solidarity Movement
by a.k.a Mzamani, 17 April, 2017
Bus drivers, washers and bus-mechanics at Makhado bus-rank,18 April, 2017. Photo: a.k.a Mzamani
On Thursday last week, April 13, 2017 before Good-Friday. There was a lack of bustling with shoppers for Easter Weekend. Something which in the past was uncommon in a small town called Makhodo, formally known as Louis Trichardt: found on the north of Limpopo. One could think is a result of high rate of unemployment. Maybe is the high inflation while wages remain the same or both. Besides, this is also a critical day for Worshipers travelling to different parts of the country. Many of them use buses to reach their respective holy destinations. A group of about sixty people appeared toyi-toying under a big-tree at the bus-rank in Makhado and the most were bus drivers from Great North Transport (GNT).
GNT bus carrying passengers from work in and around Makhado,18 April 2017. photo: a.k.a Mzamani
Many people coming into this town use buses because they are cheap compared to mini-bus taxis. In recent years, the bus drivers’ wage demands have increasingly fallen on deaf ears. The (GNT) bus drivers, washers and bus-mechanics have joined the national bus drivers’ strike demanding a fifteen percent wage increase. The strike involved five trade unions and other drivers of nationwide companies such as Greyhound and City to City. The trade unions are, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu), Transport and Allied Workers of South Africa (Tawusa), Transport & Omnibus Workers Union (Towa) and Tirhisano.
Here in Limpopo and possibly the whole country, Zion Christian Church (ZCC) members are the largest congregates. They flock to Moria near Polokwane where the ZCC headquarters is based. Largely from across Limpopo, Gauteng, North-West and Free-State province as well as across the country. Many of them are from poor of the poorest households and they solely depend on these buses for transportation.
The workers of the GNT busses have in the past independently use Easter Weekend to strike, as a strategy to put pressure on their bosses. They know that around this time the bosses have already taken monies from church-members across the province. There are less than ten bus companies which operates in Makhado region. In Limpopo GNT is the largest company, it has more than forty buses in Makhado depo alone and has eleven depos across Limpopo.
Although paid even much smaller, the bus drivers from smaller companies remained at work because they are more vulnerable and they are not members to any union. However, neither the GNT workers on strike are protected as they couldn’t give their names. They vowed that, until their demands are meant they will dare not return to work. But the strike was called off within few days and yet, with no demands seen.
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