Nti Bus Company Workers Endure Festive Season Without Salaries

It was a bleak Christmas for over 1 100 employees of the NTI bus company who had not been paid for five months. Workers union SAWU YA BASHUMI spent the day on Wednesday chanting in Mahikeng in support of all workers, who have been camping in the Mmabatho CBD for the past seven days.

The union says the North West provincial legislature has approved a R75 million budget for the salaries to be paid. However, the provincial transport department says it wont release the drivers salaries as the company is currently under business rescue.

The workers had this to say:

"We have chronic diseases as I speak, Im asthmatic, and I dont even have medication. So, others were taken by ambulances because we are ill. Our children are unable to go to school. Now that its almost January, we dont have funds for universities because NSFAS says we qualify to pay for our childrens education but we dont. We are sitting here its really hard. We cant even go home," explains one worker.

"Our policies have lapsed our parents are sick. We dont know what to do. I dont even want to mention Royal because it lapsed three times. Mr. Kekana, show sympathy for us. Think about us when you drink your whisky. We are hurting," laments another worker.