By: Aneeqa du Plessis

With the EFF’s proposed national shutdown set to take place next week Monday, public transport users have shared their anxiety on whether services will be disrupted to and from places of work. However, Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) Spokesperson Bronwen-Dyke Beyer has assured passengers that services will continue as per normal.

“Golden Arrow is contracted to the provincial department of mobility and is obligated to operate as per our timetables and we do plan to operate a normal service on Monday. We are working with all safety and security agencies to create operational and contingency plans for the day,” said Dyke-Beyer.

She further urged protesters to act in an a ‘peaceful’ manner as to not negatively impact essential services. To keep passengers abreast, updates will be posted to GABS Facebook pages throughout the day.

Furthermore, local taxi association in the Western Cape SANTACO (South African National Taxi Council of South Africa) said taxi services will also continue as per usual.

“Our taxi’s will be operating as most essential workers use public transport to get to work. So, it is our responsibility to ensure that we get passengers to work safely. Our call to our operators will be to keep a look out so we can prioritize the wellbeing of passengers and drivers, but we do understand that with a shutdown comes inevitable disruptions,” said Provincial Chairperson at SANTACO Mandla Hermanus on VOC’s Breakfast show on Thursday morning.

The EFF are calling for an immediate end to loadshedding and the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

VOC