Bus 'hijacked' as transport strike starts in Joburg

A driver escaped unharmed after his bus was allegedly hijacked as a strike by Metrobus staff got under way in Johannesburg on Monday.

The Democratic Municipal and Allied Workers Union of South Africa (Demawusa) confirmed that staff, including drivers and mechanics, would embark on a strike in support of demands that they be paid according to their experience and for offices at the company’s bus depots.

SAfm reported on Monday that a bus heading from Roodepoort to Gandhi Square in the CBD had allegedly been hijacked.

Joburg Metrobus said in a tweet on Friday that it had received notice of the planned strike and was trying to avert it.

Metrobus spokesperson Goodwill Shiburi told the SABC, “We need to make sure that our drivers are safe and passengers are safe. But at the moment we are assessing the situation and if it continues with intimidation we might halt the service.”

Metrobus confirmed the hijacking incident.