JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The United National Transport Union (UNTU) is intensifying its fight against PRASA retrenchments, with Acting General Secretary Atenkosi Plaatjie confirming that a ministerial task team has made significant progress in reducing the number of jobs at risk at the state-owned rail operator.
Initially, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) announced plans to retrench 580 Metrorail Long Distance Passenger Services (MLPS) employees. However, following intervention by a task team established by the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, that number has been substantially reduced. While recent union statements indicate that approximately 200 employees still face retrenchment risks, Plaatjie provided a detailed breakdown of the ongoing placement efforts, showing that the net number of threatened jobs continues to be actively managed.
Through rigorous age analysis and skills matching, the task team successfully facilitated early retirement for 43 employees. Additionally, 102 workers were matched and placed into existing vacancies within PRASA. Plaatjie emphasized that the union had previously approached the labor court for an urgent interdict because PRASA failed to utilize these internal resources and open vacancies before initiating the retrenchment consultation process through the CCMA.
The remaining at-risk workforce currently consists of 280 protection service (security) officers and 227 excess employees. To mitigate these job losses, the Department of Transport (DOT) has undertaken to negotiate with Transnet to absorb the security personnel, citing the freight company’s ongoing security challenges. Furthermore, the DOT is engaging with private Train Operating Companies (TOCs) to employ the excess staff. Plaatjie noted that this aligns with the government’s original promise that TOC partnerships would drive job creation in the South African economy, and the union is awaiting final feedback on these negotiations.
When questioned about the financial motivations behind the restructuring, Plaatjie noted that PRASA has not divulged specific cost-saving targets to the task team. While early retirements and staff placements carry their own cost impacts for the entity, the union’s primary objective remains preserving livelihoods in a challenging economic climate. Plaatjie stated that financial disclosures regarding the restructuring budget remain the responsibility of the rail entity to share with the public.
Addressing the broader context of the crisis, Plaatjie emphasized that the current financial strain should not result in workers bearing the brunt of historical mismanagement. He pointed to systemic corruption, including the notorious scandal involving trains that were “too tall for our rail,” as well as the ill-timed cancellation of security contracts just before the COVID-19 pandemic. These decisions led to brazen theft of cables and severe damage to rail infrastructure, crippling long-distance services.
UNTU maintains that retrenchments cannot be used as “consequence management” for executive failures. The union continues to demand accountability within PRASA, ensuring that the dedication of the workforce is not sacrificed for challenges they did not create, while awaiting final outcomes on the ongoing external placement negotiations.
