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Sanco set to boycott buses in fares row

NO WAYS: Commuters are against a Great North fare increase. Cicra 2009. Pic. Victor Hlungwani. © Sowetan.
NO WAYS: Commuters are against a Great North fare increase. Cicra 2009. Pic. Victor Hlungwani. © Sowetan.

Sanco in the Giyani subregion has expressed displeasure at the recent fare increase by the Great North Transport (GNT) bus company.

Sanco in the Giyani subregion has expressed displeasure at the recent fare increase by the Great North Transport (GNT) bus company.

This is after the recent bus fare increase hit commuters hard. The company allegedly increased fares twice last year and again this year "without first consulting commuters". The price increases are R7,40 to R8 for short distances and R9 to R13 for long distance.

Residents, most of whom depend on government social grants for survival, say the increase will be too steep for them.

They argued that the petrol and diesel prices had gone down recently and that is why the recent fare increase was unfair.

"We are puzzled by the price hike. We want the bus company to explain the fare increase. We are not going to rest until the company reverses this move. We will boycott the buses if they do not want to give us a hearing," said Colet Baloyi, Sanco Giyani chairperson.

Baloyi said they had given the company 14 days to reverse the fare increases or they will start boycotting the buses.

GNT depot manager Elias Maake said they increased the fares in consultation with the Giyani Passengers Forum. The forum said yesterday that it had agreed to the fare increase only if the hike was reasonable.

Maake said the current increase was just the tip of an iceberg because "we are going to consider increasing fares again in May". - Victor Hlungwani

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