The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) and the United National Transport Union (UNTU) on Wednesday said they planned to shut down commuter train services across the country.
Fedusa said the shutdown would take place in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria on Friday in a national day of protest action against extremely poor and dangerous Metrorail passenger train services.
The union said these factors violated health and safety provisions, perpetually late trains and the deliberate acts of arson, as well as the high rate of accidents traumatised employees and their families.
Fedusa said the rail service was also burdened with disciplinary action as a result of poor services that leave commuters helpless and frustrated daily.
The United National Transport Union (UNTU) has also Fedusa in setting up a list of demands to be handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Demands:
1. Members of the South African Defence Force (SANDF) be deployed to patrol and safeguard the 22 298 route kilometres, and total track distance of 30 400 km.
2. SAPS be instructed to adhere to Section 205 of the Constitution to prevent, combat and investigate crime, maintain public order, protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic of South Africa and their property and uphold and enforce the law, also when it comes to PRASA.
3. To Integrate PRASA with Transnet as they were prior to 2006.
4. To force PRASA to comply with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act which gives all humans a right to a safe and healthy working environment. This means that Prasa management and its employees must do everything within their means to prevent unnecessary injury, illness and loss.
5. Force SAPS to investigate and charge, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to prosecute and the Judiciary to impose the provisions of the Criminal Matters Amendment Act 18 of 2015.
6. Ensure that the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) can exercise its statutory mandate independently from Prasa.
7. Ensure that the National Department of Human Settlement, Provincial Governments and the various municipalities find alternative housing urgently and relocate the thousands of squatters living as close as half a meter from railway lines. This is in contradiction of the safety reserve that is between 20 m to 40 m on average to enable vehicles to drive along the railway routes in case of an emergency like a derailment.
Additional reporting by ANA
