Gautrain strikers to be dismissed

2012-02-06 07:55

Johannesburg - The Gautrain bus service remains suspended, and drivers who participated in an illegal strike will be served with dismissal notices, the Bombela Concession company said on Monday morning.

"The disciplinary process was completed on Friday night and those drivers that participated have already started receiving letters of dismissal," spokesperson Errol Braithwaite said.

"MegaExpress will put plans in place today [Monday] to reinstate the bus service as soon as possible."

On February 1, the drivers ignored an ultimatum that required them to return to work by 15:00. A court interdict was issued last month compelling drivers to return to work.

Braithwaite said the drivers launched their own court application to block disciplinary hearings, but this was dismissed by the Johannesburg Labour Court. Some of the drivers were fired.

The Gautrain bus drivers, who used to be members of the SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union, had left the union and were now acting independently.

Last month, drivers went on strike because they wanted MegaExpress, the Gautrain bus operating company, to provide them with transport from their homes to their place of work every day.

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