Gautrain bus service disrupted by go-slow

Johannesburg - Gautrain bus services were disrupted again on Wednesday morning following a go-slow by drivers.

"The bus services have been disrupted again today at all stations," Gautrain spokesperson Ian Findlay said.

"Unfortunately, even yesterday [Tuesday] afternoon, the drivers decided to take lunch breaks... in the middle of the peak time."

He said the buses did not leave the depot before 06:00 on Wednesday morning, so the service was very slow.

Gautrain bus customers were advised to find alternative forms of transport.

Findlay said the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), which represents the majority of the drivers, would be contacted to see if it could address the situation.

Bus drivers decided to embark on a go-slow over lunch breaks.

They wanted a one-hour continuous break instead of the 20 minute unpaid lunch break they were currently taking, said Numsa.

Numsa announced on Tuesday afternoon that the go-slow had been suspended since it had arranged a meeting with Mega Express, which runs the bus service, to discuss their grievances, next week.

However, the drivers insisted that they would take their hour lunch break.

According to Findlay, they were taking lunch breaks from 10:00 to 11:00 for the morning shift and 17:00 to 18:00.