Following an earlier announcement from Golden Arrow Bus Services about the looming bus strike, the City of Cape Town has also informed commuters that the MyCiTi service will be suspended as from midnight on Wednesday April 18 until further notice.
No MyCiTi buses will be operating and commuters are requested in advance to please make alternative arrangements.
The strike action is as a result of dead-locked wage negotiations. The unions who are party to the South African Road Passengers Bargaining Council (SARPBAC) have subsequently given notice of their intention to embark on strike action.
The City has been informed that the Vehicle Operating Companies (VOCs) operating the MyCiTi service will institute a lock-out as from midnight on Wednesday to ensure the safety of commuters and personnel for the duration of the strike. This, in effect, means that there will be no MyCiTi trunk or feeder services available as from Wednesday morning, for as long as the strike and lock-out continue.
“We regret the inconvenience caused and the pressure it adds on commuters to make alternative travel arrangements. The strike will have a serious knock-on effect on all public transport and road-based traffic as more than 72 000 commuters make use of the MyCiTi service on any given weekday. Furthermore, we anticipate that the strike action will have a severe impact on Cape Town’s commuters who are already taking strain due to the challenges that Metrorail is experiencing with the Central line,’ said the City’s mayoral committee member for transport and urban development, Brett Herron.
