With Johannesburg's metro bus service in full operation from today, commuters stranded during the three-month-long strike will heave a sigh of relief.

With Johannesburg's metro bus service in full operation from today, commuters stranded during the three-month-long strike will heave a sigh of relief.

Thanks to the city council's intervention the lingering stalemate was broken and an agreement signed between metro bus management and the South African Municipal Workers' Union.

The strike had already cost the lives of three drivers, and resulted in the suspension of the bus service on March 20.

Both management and the union should take a cue from the unbiased manner in which the council tackled the impasse.

It showed an accord can be reached when parties on either side keep cool heads.

After all, at issue was the welfare of workers.

A bulldozing approach is counterproductive as it will not yield mutually satisfactory results in the end. Arrogance begets arrogance.