The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and its Affiliate, the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) welcome the commitment by Northwest Transport Investment (NTI) to pay workers’ salaries on or before this Friday, 20 February.

NTI workers endured a festive season right out of the pages of a horror movie script, after the bus company jointly owned by the North West and Gauteng Provincial Governments failed to pay their November and December salaries. At the time, some workers had reportedly not been paid for 14 months.

Interventions by COSATU and SATAWU throughout the festive period saw workers’ November and December salaries eventually paid in early January. An undertaking was made that workers would be paid over the next three months and that work would be done to settle outstanding salaries as well as third-party deductions including taxes, pension and medical aid funds.

On Monday, 16 February, North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng, was compelled to hold a meeting with NTI workers after they blockaded the North West Legislature precinct using the company’s buses. General Secretaries of COSATU and SATAWU, Solly Phetoe and Jack Mazibuko, attended the meeting virtually and secured the commitment that workers would be paid their salaries for the month on or before this coming Friday. NTI CEO Dr Ntlopeng Dikobe was also part of the meeting.

Another meeting is set for next week to discuss the critical issue of the yet to be settled outstanding salaries. This is a sensitive matter because workers have families to take care of and cannot afford to give their labour for free as though they were slaves.

COSATU reiterates its stance; NTI, the North West and Gauteng Provincial Governments with the support of the National Department of Transport, must put a coherent turnaround plan in place to return the company to sustainability and profitability, and by so doing enable it to fulfil its contractual obligations to its employees as well as to the working-class communities it services.

The Federation once again calls for an investigation into allegations of serious corruption and malfeasance surrounding the state-owned entity and to ensure that those found to be guilty are prosecuted, sentenced and imprisoned.

Issued by COSATU

Zanele Sabela (COSATU Spokesperson)

Mobile: 079 287 5788 / 077 600 6639

Email: zanele@cosatu.org.za