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Metrorail granted interdict against train strike

Cape Town - An interdict has been granted to avert a train strike led by the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) from going ahead, Metrorail said on Thursday.

But defective signals and cable theft resulted in delays between 10 minutes and one hour on the southern and northern lines.

Legal recourse was taken to “prevent the backbone of public transport in the Western Cape from being impacted”, Metrorail's regional manager Richard Walker in a statement.

Walker said the rail service provider owed commuters the “courtesy of providing an acceptable service with the aged infrastructure at our disposal”. 

On Wednesday, Metrorail said it had instituted a contingency plan for the duration of the strike action, and that security and railway police would be on alert to ensure order.

The interdict was granted on Wednesday evening.

Satawu’s Luntu Sokutu on Wednesday told News24 that the union is demanding an end to outsourcing, the permanent employment of fixed-term contract workers, a salary alignment with workers in other provinces, and the removal of Walker, who the union describes as "incompetent".

He said the strike would continue until the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) met their demands.

Satawu members gathered outside the Cape Town train station as the union leadership approached the Labour Court to lift the interdict.

Source: eNCA's Athi Mtongana on Twitter

Walker encouraged the union members to support the national negotiations and to lodge their concerns with the National Bargaining Forum.

Luntu and other Satawu leadership members were not immediately available for comment on Thursday.

Walker said Metrorail employees reported for duty and the service “recorded good performance”.

 “The southern line is operating to schedule. Defective signals in the Langa-Philippi-Lentegeur corridor are responsible for 10 to 30 minute delays,” he confirmed.

A defective train stuck between Stikland and Bellville as well as recurring cable theft at Kuils River resulted in delays in excess of an hour on the northern line. 


Source: eNCA's Athi Mtongana on Twitter

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