National Shutdown: Cosatu Plans to March to Prasa in the Western Cape, Wants Ticket Prices Slashed by Half

• The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) will be marching to Prasa on Wednesday
• The trade union wants the state-owned railway company to address its grievances surrounding the public transport crisis
• South Africans have questioned Cosatu for protesting exclusively in Cape Town and not in other places

CAPE TOWN - As part of the national shutdown to address the cost of living in South Africa, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) will also march to Prasa offices in the Western Cape to demand the public transport crisis should be solved.

Cosatu will be backed by the South African Communist Party (SACP) and other organisations on Wednesday, 24 August. The organisations will ask Prasa to reply to a memorandum that was handed over in February.

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According to News24, Cosatu wants Prasa to slash train ticket prices by 50%. They also want improved security at train stations and are calling on Prasa to ensure that essential lines such as Cape Town CBD return to full operation.

Cosatu further stated that the organisation has been engaging with the government for several years to improve the state of the railways, adding they are tired of poor service from Prasa.

"Cosatu had been involved in negotiations with the government for more than 10 years to improve the rail services and very little has been done so far," the union said.

In response to Cosatu's march, Prasa spokesperson Andiswa Makanda stated that it is aware of the march, however, some of Cosatu's demands have already been addressed and will continue to be addressed.

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Last month, Prasa partially reopened the Central Line. According to EWN, the lines opened connected townships such as Langa and Khayelitsha to areas such as Bellville, Mitchell's Plain and Pinelands.

Here's what South Africans have to say about Cosatu's march to Prasa:

@MarkSyson2 said:

"COSATU seems to be prioritizing the needs of the DA voters over that of the ANC voters."

@Keith95736141 said:

"Has all the marching over the years achieved anything?"

@Manoj91417366 said:

"And what about the other provinces?Are they fine, or is it just the WC as its DA run?"

@barrymarksteph1 said:

"Yes 1994, when the ANC government took over the government they gave golden handshakes to the brains they thought they could do it alone like Eskom and etc now they sit in the kak."

Prasa's Central Line reopening hits a snag, leaves Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula stuck on a train

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Briefly News previously reported that Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula, found himself in a little predicament at the reopening of Cape Town's Central Line on Tuesday, 26 July.

The Central Line was partially reopened after it was closed down in 2019 due to extreme vandalism and theft.

Mbalula, alongside Daylin Mitchell, the Western Cape MEC for mobility, Malusi Booi, the MMC for human settlement and Prasa employees boarded the 9am train from the Cape Town train station to Langa to mark the reopening of the line.

Source: Briefly News