Five striking MyCiTi bus service workers were arrested during a clash with police outside the Cape Town Civic Centre on Tuesday.

Brett Herron‚ the mayoral committee member for transport‚ said the police used stun grenades to disperse strikers blocking the bus lane.

Staff at vehicle operating companies that run the buses began an unprotected strike eight days ago‚ and on Thursday a high court interdict was granted preventing them intimidating bus passengers and coming within 100m of MyCiTi premises or vehicles.

“Since the court order was granted‚ the strikers have intensified their attacks on the service‚” said Herron. “[On Monday] afternoon‚ a MyCiTi bus was petrol bombed in Kuyasa in Khayelitsha‚ and another bus was targeted later in the evening close to Mew Way.

“The violence intensified [on Tuesday morning] when strikers started targeting the buses operating the N2 Express routes between the Cape Flats and the city.

"At least four buses were stoned in Khayelitsha shortly before the peak-hour period commenced at 5am and‚ as a result‚ services had been either suspended or the buses were deviated and escorted.

“The intimidation of bus drivers was also rife in Atlantis over the weekend‚ with bus drivers operating the feeder routes being threatened with firearms on Saturday morning.”

Strikers have gathered daily at the Civic Centre‚ and Herron said their presence had left passengers scared to use the station there.