Thousands stranded due to strike
2008-07-16 17:14
Nelspruit - Over 120 000 commuters were unable to get to work in the Mpumalanga capital of Nelspruit on Wednesday when bus drivers participated in a national strike against food, fuel and electricity price hikes.
Oupa Mathebula, acting managing director of local bus company Buscor, said 400 buses were unable to transport passengers.
"All our buses were parked away as drivers engaged in a protected strike organised by their trade union. It's not a strike against us, it's a strike against inflation," he said. "Our buses will be back on the road on Thursday. We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience."
The strike was organised by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).
Provincial Cosatu spokesperson, Norman Mokoena, said the provincial economy came to a standstill as more than 100 000 community members joined in the strike in six towns, namely: Nelspruit, Bushbuckridge, Secunda, Ermelo, Kwaggafontein and Emalahleni (formerly Witbank).
"Today, we have brought the provincial economy to a standstill. Go outside of your office and look at the shops. They have shut down because the workforce is being undermined by greedy capitalists," said Mokoena.
He said Cosatu had expected its members to support the strike, but was overwhelmed by the turn-out by community members.
"This shows that the issue of escalating food and fuel prices is very close to the community. They are the ones who really feel the suffering while the capitalists only suffer in rhetoric," said Mokoena.