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Cape Town - Metrorail workers embarked on a strike in Cape Town on Wednesday morning, causing a total shut-down of services, officials said.
"All commuters in Cape Town will have to make use of alternative transport," said United Transport and Allied Trade Union (Utatu) general secretary Chris de Vos.
Western Cape Metrorail spokeswoman Riana Scott confirmed the strike, saying workers were protesting against the introduction of changes to the shift roster.
"It was part of the agreement when they received their salary increases," she said.
"The new roster was due to be introduced on December 4... it does not involve more hours; only different hours."
Scott said Metrorail commuters would have to make alternative transport plans on Wednesday because there was a total shut-down of services.
De Vos said Utatu and SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) members were taking part in the strike.
Workers were striking due to "unilateral changes of service conditions".
De Vos said it had been agreed that the changes would first be "workshopped" before implementation.
"This [strike] could have been avoided," said De Vos.
According to Scott, some 600 000 passenger journeys are made on Metrorail in the Cape every day.
