THERE was pandemonium at taxi ranks outside Ghandhi Square in the Johannesburg city centre yesterday as scores of stranded Metrobus commuters jostled to get to a few available taxis.
Metrobus suspended operations on Saturday following an attack on their driver, Michael Tshikwati, on Thursday. Tshikwati was attacked in the city centre and his bus was damaged in an incident believed to be linked to the ongoing strike by South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) members.
Metrobus and Samwu are in dispute over the introduction of new shifts by the company.
The union wants old shifts, which it says were more effective.
Commuters who were not aware of the icing of the service arrived at Ghandhi Square, but left to board taxis after they were told the service had been suspended.
Tsholofelo Mashiane of Joubert Park and Gugu Nkosi of White City, Soweto, were among regular Metrobus commuters who were left without transport.
The Grade 10 pupils from Queens High School in the east of Johannesburg said the strike has inconvenienced them.
Tsholofelo said: "The school starts at 8am, but we are supposed to walk through the gate by 7.45am. By the time we get to school the gates will be closed and we will be marked absent. We will miss the first period because we are going to be locked out."
Gugu said the taxis going to the direction of their school were scarce and full because of the shortage of the buses. Her monthly ticket costs R203.
The square, which is normally abuzz in the morning, only had people walking past and a few who hoped for a miracle for the buses to resume operations. There was a strong police visibility at the square.
The strike has also hit businesses around the area hard.
Meanwhile, talks between Metrobus and Samwu collapsed yesterday.
The union demanded that the company reinstate the old shift schedules before they could continue with the talks.
Metrobus managing director Herman van Laar said they could not accede to the union's demand.
The strike is expected to continue today .
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