'Bus chaos could disrupt 2010'

Johannesburg - Bus operators will on Tuesday continue efforts in the Johannesburg High Court to get the transport department to pay their subsidies, a union said.

The SA Bus Operators Association (Saboa) launched the application in December after subsides were not paid to contractors.

"The department of transport has informed the industry that it is short of R1.2bn to pay the industry for its contracted services for the period December 2008 to March 2009," said SA Transport and Allied Workers Union general secretary Randall Howard in a statement on Monday.

"The continued non-payment of the subsidy to the industry puts 30 000 bus workers' jobs in jeopardy."

About 1.5 million commuters would be without transport if bus companies were forced to stop operations, Randall warned.

"Should the court action not succeed, and should government continue to withhold the subsidies, we will have no hesitation in calling on Cosatu to initiate national industrial action," he added.

Satawu's policy research officer Jane Barrett said a settlement was reached in the Western Cape.

"We hope this settlement can be extended to all the other provinces."

Saboa executive manager Eric Cornelius said in December that bus subsidies were paid to keep bus fares at affordable levels for commuters who mostly had low incomes.

"Without bus subsidies the fares would have to more than double, or the industry may have to withdraw its services to reduce direct operating costs, and to protect their employees," Cornelius said.

Transport economist and adviser to Saboa Jackie Walters said the industry might have to raise its fares by more than 100%. The disruption of bus transport would be damaging for the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup, Walters said.

The department of transport could not be reached for comment.

- Sapa