NTI bus employees protest outside Gauteng transport offices over unpaid salaries

In yet another display of desperation, employees of the North West Transport Investment (NTI) Bus Company have intensified their protest against unpaid salaries by staging a picket outside the Gauteng Department of Transport offices in Johannesburg.

This latest action comes on the heels of a demonstration at last week’s ANC National General Council gathering at the Birchwood Hotel, marking a continuation of frustrations that have plagued NTI workers.

According to the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU), many affected employees have been without income for over 14 months, leaving them in dire financial straits as the festive season approaches. "I have not been receiving a salary for 14 months now, and with Christmas and January upon us, I do not know what is going to happen to our children," lamented one anonymous employee. She highlighted the strain on her family, now reliant on her husband to cover all expenses.

The ongoing protests were led by union officials, including SATAWU’s Lebusa Mamaregane, who condemned the Gauteng Department of Transport for prioritising other companies while withholding critical subsidies for NTI. "The persistent neglect has intensified operational pressures and threatens the livelihoods of workers who now face the possibility of entering yet another Christmas season without their salaries," he stated.

The protesters carried placards that read, “Mr President, how long are you going to turn a blind eye on the poor NTI employees?” and “14 months working without salaries is not child’s play.” These slogans encapsulated the growing frustration among workers, who hail from various regions including Hammanskraal, Ga-Rankuwa, Soshanguve, and Mabopane.

Mosiwa Phiri, chairperson of the NTI Council under SATAWU, expressed his despair, noting that the workers have simply run out of options after enduring unfulfilled promises for financial relief. “We have been neglected for too long. We need to have a life like people who are earning salaries every month,” he asserted, revealing that some employees are considering raising their grievances directly with national leadership. "Even though SATAWU is trying to speak to them, they don’t listen," he added.

The financial plight of NTI has been ongoing, with employees camping outside the North West Provincial Legislature last year in a bid to secure overdue salaries. Earlier this year, the North West Transport Management Department intervened to assist some, but many employees remain trapped in uncertainty, evoking an urgent need for action that has led to repeated protests.