Bus fares go up within weeks of strike

Commuters in Nelson Mandela Bay will have to dig deeper into their pockets, with the Algoa Bus Company increasing fares from Saturday.

The increase will see fares on various routes going up by about R2.

Commuter Vuyiswa Seyibokwe, 59, of New Brighton, questioned whether the increase had anything to do with the nationwide strike that ended earlier this month.

“Hardly a week after drivers are back at work and then all of a sudden there is a massive increase,” she said.

The strike earlier this month was one of the longest in the bus industry, finally ending after a compromise agreement was reached between unions and employers.

Seyibokwe currently pays R10.80 to get from New Brighton to Central. The same trip will now cost her R12 from Saturday.

“Is the company trying to pass over to commuters the loss they incurred.

“This is too much as there is no increment in our salaries to match this.”
Zukiswa Nkayi, 43, of Motherwell, asked for the increase to be held over until next year.

“We do not have enough money to spend on transport only,” she said.

“My plea is that the increment be halted and kick in next year.”

Nkayi now pays R12.80 to get from Motherwell to Central.

But with the increase she will have to pay an extra R1.20.

Algoa Bus Company chief executive Sicelo Dude said the hike was unavoidable due to an increase in operational costs.

“Petrol increase, running cost and the VAT increase were just some of the factors that necessitated the fare increase,” Duze said.

The rising cost of wages, spare parts and tyres were also part of the increase.

“But when you look at it, we are still the cheapest compared to other modes of transportation,” he said.