“I will shoot you. I will shoot you”.
These are the words Vernon Brynard (54), a senior administrative official at Metrorail, heard at about 04:30 this morning when an armed robber overpowered him from behind and stuck a firearm in his back.
Brynard, a member of the United National Transport Union (UNTU), told the Union that he was walking past the empty security office on the premises of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) – operator of Metrorail, Koeberg Depot in the Western Cape when he was attacked.
“The robber took my cell phone and my glasses and ran off. I am so grateful that he did not shoot me. My life is worth more than a cell phone,” says Brynard.
It is the second time in his 36 years of service with Prasa that he was attacked. Brynard was attacked by a group of men who robbed him off his cell phone 18 months ago at the Kraaifontein Station.
“Myself and my colleagues fear for our lives every day when we get up to go to work. Our working environment has become extremely dangerous and it seems as if nothing is being done about it, “says Brynard.
He will be back at work tomorrow.
Steve Harris, General Secretary of UNTU, says the Union will submit its application to the Western Cape High Court early next week. The Union will ask the Court to order Prasa to implement drastic safety measures on its railway lines.
“UNTU has lost faith in the willingness of Prasa and government to meaningfully address the concerns of our members. It is absurd that when faced with a security crisis of these proportions, all we are met with is silence.
“The Union is left with no alternative but to approach the Court for an order directing Prasa to take practical and reasonable steps to address the security concerns of our members,” says Harris.
UNTU will ask the Court to, amongst others, force Prasa to establish an armed mobile reaction unit and as well as a joint task team comprised of UNTU, other representative Unions and the SAPS to develop a long-term strategy for commuter and employees safety in Prasa.
Harris says the war zone in which Prasa employees are forced to work, contributes to their demand for a double digit wage increase as from 1 April 2017.
UNTU and Prasa will meet tomorrow at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) for the conciliation of the wage dispute declared by the Union two weeks ago.
UNTU members across the country have declined Prasa’s conditional 4,5% salary offer. Prasa will only move from 3% to 4,5% in its offer if UNTU moves from 20% to 12% in its demand.
Harris says UNTU will not let Prasa decide what the Union’s demands will be.
UNTU members indicated that they are prepared to embark on a protected strike to get a decent wage increase from Prasa. UNTU is the majority Union in Prasa representing 47% of its employees.
For more information contact Steve Harris on 082 566 5516.
Issued on behalf of UNTU by Sonja Carstens, Media and Liaison Officer. For UNTU Press Releases e-mail sonja@untu.co.za or phone 082 463 6806.
