The United National Transport Union (UNTU) will announce its plan of action against the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) before the end of this week after yet another member of the union was attacked the past weekend whilst on duty.
Steve Harris, General Secretary of UNTU, says the leadership of the union has requested an urgent meeting with its legal team, including its senior council, who has been doing research and preparing a court application against the state-owned enterprise for not complying with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act or the Constitution by providing a safe working environment for its employees.
“We must get guidance from our legal team if we have enough grounds to approach the court on an urgent basis and ask for an interdict to force PRASA to protect our members on duty,” explains Harris.
Dennis George, General Secretary of the Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) to which UNTU is affiliated, says he had a follow-up discussion with Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday at NEDLAC in Johannesburg concerning UNTU’s and FEDUSA’s request for a meeting with Government on the PRASA issue.
“The Deputy President explained that his programme is very congested due to the conclusion of the National Minimum Wage and Labour Legislation negotiations and the State of the Nation to be held on 9 February 2017. His office is working on a date and will confirm it in the next few days,” says George.
In the meantime, the injured train driver, Willem Spence (52), says he is overwhelmed with all the prayers and messages of support he has received from friends and colleagues all over South Africa and abroad who have read in the media about the senseless attack on him on Saturday just before noon.
“My eyes are still very sore, but I am resting and am already feeling a little better,” Spence said when UNTU phoned to check on his progress.
He drove with pieces of glass in his eyes from the Du Toit-railway station to Stellenbosch in the Western Cape after an attacker fling a brick that shattered the front window of his train. Some of the glass pieces also cut his face and arms.
Spence did stop his train with commuters at Du Toit-railway station, but continued to safety when he did not see any security guards or police officials on the platform.
Harris says ironically tomorrow marks the last day of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Rapid Rail Safety Awareness Campaign that was launched on 14 December last year to alert commuters to crime on trains and railway lines and to get them to assist the SAPS with information so that the increasing problem can be alleviated.
UNTU said in a statement on 13 January that it was clear that the SAPS and PRASA does not view the senseless attacks on train crews and the vandalism of train coaches as serious after the Acting National Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane, confirmed at a press briefing that there was no separate statistics kept on the successes of this campaign.
For more enquiries phone 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.
30 January 2017
