Bloemfontein - A
wage strike by Interstate Bus Lines (IBL) drivers in Bloemfontein
continued on Monday leaving thousands of workers and school children
stranded.
IBL spokeswoman Thando Lepele confirmed the strike action was ongoing.
"Management is engaging union leaders in order to resolve the matter as fast as possible," she said.
The company ferries about 20 000 workers and children daily between Bloemfontein, Botshabelo, and Thaba Nchu.
Lepele said many commuters were finding it difficult to
find alternative transport, because they had already paid for a monthly
IBL ticket or tag.
She said the company would help passengers who had loaded 44 or 52 trips on their monthly tags.
"On Tuesday (9 October) and Wednesday (10 October) our
cashiers will be open at Central Park, Botshabelo, and Thaba Nchu to
refund unused trips on monthly tickets only."
Lepele said those passengers who loaded 44 or 52 trips
on their tags should go to a depot to present their tag and the loading
slip to the cashier.
The cashier would verify the tag, the number of unused trips on the tag, and the route for which the tag was loaded.
Only unused trips would be refunded. Tags that expired on October 4 would not be entitled to a refund.
Commuter tags would be re-set as soon as operations resumed.
Lepele said weekly ticket holders would not be able to
claim a refund, but discounts would be made available when usual
operations resumed.
Progress reports on negotiations with drivers would be
communicated through the public address system at Central Park's
transport centre.
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