Pretoria - The City of Tshwane has vowed not to suspend bus operations in the wake of a violent incident where three buses from Tshwane Bus Services (TBS) were vandalised on Monday.
Buses from TBS and A Re Yeng had just resumed operations after three months due to the ongoing unprotected wage strike when they were pelted with stones.
Roads and Transport MMC Katlego Mathebe said buses would remain operational in the face of the prevalent threats of intimidation and violence.
“The City will continue to forge ahead with the operation in line with the required support from the security cluster,” she said.
Municipal spokesperson Selby Bokaba said four suspects accused of vandalising the buses were swiftly arrested by law enforcement.
Buses were damaged in Belle Ombre, Pretoria North and one outside the C De Wet bus depot in the Pretoria CBD.
“One suspect was found in possession of a bag full of stones,” Bokaba said.
He attributed the arrests to a multidisciplinary operation undertaken by the SAPS dog unit and Tshwane Metro Police Department, aimed at curbing criminality related to the unprotected strike.
In July, the strike action was declared unlawful and unprotected by the Labour Court.
Bokaba said: “The court subsequently granted the City a permanent interdict against the striking workers in September.”
The Pretoria News reported yesterday that most of the drivers reported for duty, but refused to transport commuters.
“Tshwane management is adamant that the bus services will not be withdrawn amid the intimidation and will instead beef up security to protect the bus drivers, valued commuters as well as the bus fleet,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink yesterday expressed concerns that there had not been any new arrests by SAPS emanating from strike-related violence.
He disclosed that on October 20 he wrote to Police Minister Bheki Cele and the National Police Commissioner, Lt-Gen Sehlahle Fannie Masemola, requesting a progress update on criminal investigations into strike-related violence in Tshwane.
“To date, the City has opened nearly 50 cases, ranging from attempted murder to intimidation, at SAPS stations across Tshwane.
However, we have seen very little progress with the investigation of the said crimes,” he said.
According to Brink, there have only been 24 arrests, 19 of which were for public violence in the first few days of the strike.
“In my letter, I expressed concern to the minister that this apparent lack of progress in the various investigations, especially in a case of attempted murder and where a senior union official’s vehicle was used to commit arson, may embolden these criminal elements to continue with their campaign of violence and destruction,” he said.
Pretoria News