DA blamed for transport chaos

2010-05-17 21:18

Michael Hamlyn

Cape Town - Trade union federation Cosatu in the Western Cape is blaming the Democratic Alliance government there for the commuter chaos afflicting the province as a result of the rail strike.
   
"The contingency plans of the government have not been effective," said Tony Ehrenreich, the provincial leader of Cosatu on Monday, "with long queues of workers spending the morning in taxi and bus queues".
   
"The vast majority of people in the queues are workers, most of whom belong to Cosatu, but the provincial government refuses to negotiate with Cosatu. This act by the DA of excluding Cosatu from the contingency plans is just the kind of political short-sightedness of the DA."
   
"Cosatu continues to call for a forum wherein all of the role players can be included so we can find a comprehensive solution."

Responsibility
   
The unionists said the government has a responsibility to arrange public transport for commuters in the Western Cape.
   
"The fact that they use Metrorail to provide these services is a choice that they make, and so they have to make sure that Metrorail handles the wage and service level provisions adequately, so services are not compromised."
   
The union body suggests that if the travel times of various groups of commuters were staggered, the load would be more manageable. 
   
Manufacturing workers could travel from early until 07:30 and white-collar workers thereafter, while school learners could travel from 08:00 to 09:00. The return home could also be staggered.
   
"This is the basis of a more sustainable plan that should even extend beyond the strike, but whether the provincial government has the vision and the foresight for this, is the question," Ehrenreich concluded. .
   
The trade unions do not seem to be blaming any other party in government in other provinces for the commuter chaos there.

- I-Net Bridge (News24)