Golden Arrow bus operator is seeking an urgent interdict against a strike set to begin at 00:00, leaving thousands of commuters and workers in limbo.
It has launched an urgent court challenge to prevent a planned strike by the National Union for All Sectors (NUFAS), which notified its members of an intention to walk out from 00:00 on Thursday 10 September.
The company confirmed it has approached the courts and expects to communicate the outcome later today, Wednesday 9 September, ahead of the strike’s scheduled start.
The dispute centres on the application of Golden Arrow’s disciplinary processes. NUFAS has alleged that these procedures are applied unfairly to employees. Golden Arrow rejects that claim, stating that its policies are implemented in accordance with applicable labour legislation, collective agreements, established company procedures and the principles of procedural fairness.
The company has pointed to existing dispute-resolution mechanisms – including processes through the South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council (SARPBAC) – as the appropriate channel for employees who believe disciplinary action has been unfairly applied.
Golden Arrow says safety is its primary concern. As a public transport operator carrying hundreds of thousands of passengers daily across Cape Town, the company says its operational policies, driving standards, and disciplinary processes are designed first and foremost to ensure buses are operated safely and responsibly.
Impact on the workforce
The threatened strike and last-minute legal challenge create significant uncertainty for Golden Arrow’s workforce. NUFAS members among the company’s drivers and support staff face the prospect of being off the job from 00:00, with no clear indication yet of whether the court will interdict the action.
If the strike proceeds, employees who participate would forgo their wages for the duration, while non-unionised staff could face disrupted shifts and altered routes. The company has indicated it will take “all reasonable steps” to protect passengers, employees, and the public, suggesting contingency measures may be introduced depending on the court’s ruling.
For the broader workforce, the dispute also highlights a clash over workplace discipline: Golden Arrow maintains that its standards are essential for road safety, while the union contends that the way those standards are enforced is unfair to workers. The court’s decision today will determine not only whether buses run on Thursday, but also whether the disciplinary framework at the heart of the conflict remains in force while the underlying issues are unresolved.
Golden Arrow has apologised to passengers for the uncertainty and says it will provide a further update once the court has delivered its outcome.
