Former TAOI workers demand outstanding retrenchment packages from City of Tshwane

The City of Tshwane has come under fire from former employees of Tshwane Affected Operations Investments (TAOI), a bus operator formerly contracted to Tshwane Rapid Transport (TRT) system, also known as A Re Yeng, who are demanding payment of their outstanding retrenchment packages.

Led by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) on Thursday, workers marched to Tshwane House in a bid to pressure the municipality to honour its commitment to pay the outstanding retrenchment packages to them.

In December the City ended its contract with TAOI, resulting in the termination of employment contracts for at least 261 workers.

Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, Numsa's national spokesperson, said the workers at TAOI underwent a Section 189 retrenchment process, which commenced in October 2024 and was facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

She said during the Section 189 process the City promised to absorb 110 workers as station marshals for the TRT system.

Additionally, she said, the City promised to employ the remaining 151 workers in various roles, including security guards and cleaners to ensure their livelihoods were protected.

“They also promised to pay the retrenchment packages for workers,” she said.

She said Numsa asked the City to confirm its promises in a written agreement but the City refused to sign it.

Hlubi accused the City of reneging on all of the promises it had made after the conclusion of the retrenchment process.

“They have not paid the retrenchment packages and they did not re-hire the workers and absorb them into TRT,” she said.

The workers' memorandum to the City head of the Department of Roads and Transport, Pheko Letlonkane, said: “We demand that the City of Tshwane must pay the money it owes to TAOI so that retrenchment packages can be paid to employees.”

They also demanded the City absorb 110 workers as station marshals and 151 workers as security guards.

Makgotso Maepa, one of the workers impacted by the situation, said: "We are struggling financially, and things have gotten so tough that some of us have even had our cars repossessed."

She said workers were left helpless as some of them even had their homes repossessed by the banks.

“Our children are being turned away from schools due to unpaid fees. The City's empty promises of payment are only adding to our distress. We are expecting the City to fulfil its promise of employing us, as agreed upon during the retrenchment process," she said.

Letlonkane said: “The issues that were raised by the colleagues outside are the issues that we have been dealing with as the department and they are issues that are at various stages in terms of progress. So, it is not totally true that we have rejected what they are saying.”

The City has been given a five-day deadline to address the concerns outlined in the memorandum and Letlonkane promised to escalate the matter to his superiors, who will ensure a response within the specified timeframe.