- The DA has received allegations that Great North Transport may have outsourced part of its inspection function while pursuing possible retrenchments.
- The DA expects full disclosure and accountability before the LEDET Portfolio Committee regarding the alleged outsourcing, the effectiveness of GNT’s turnaround strategy, and the reasons it has not prevented the current retrenchment process.
- GNT employees are also reportedly still owed back pay arising from the 2025/26 salary increase.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has received deeply concerning allegations that Great North Transport (GNT) may have recently outsourced part of its inspection function, despite initiating a Section 189 process relating to possible retrenchments.
The DA will demand that MEC Tshitereke Matibe, LEDA and GNT’s interim accounting authority account to the LEDET Portfolio Committee for this apparent contradiction.
We will also seek confirmation and answers regarding allegations that employees are still owed back pay arising from the 2025/26 salary increase.
The DA has not yet been able to locate a publicly available tender notice or contract award confirming the alleged appointment. GNT must therefore urgently clarify whether an external company has been appointed to perform inspection-related services and, if so, why it was appointed, which procurement mechanism was used and what the service is costing.
If confirmed, the decision to spend money on an external service provider while employees are still owed back pay and face possible retrenchment would appear to contradict the financial and operational rationale for the proposed retrenchments.
According to information received by the DA, GNT’s own inspection personnel allegedly lack the vehicles required to perform their duties effectively, while an external service provider may have been brought in to undertake inspection work.
This raises the question of why GNT did not consider using the money spent on external inspection services to equip its existing inspectors, strengthen its internal capacity and protect jobs.
A Section 189 process requires meaningful consultation aimed at avoiding, minimising or mitigating retrenchments. This includes considering whether functions can be performed internally, whether existing employees can be properly equipped and whether expenditure on external service providers can be reduced.
Employees cannot be expected to accept possible retrenchments while GNT appears to be outsourcing functions without disclosing whether employees and organised labour were consulted.
The DA expects the LEDET Portfolio Committee to demand full disclosure regarding the alleged outsourcing, the effectiveness of GNT’s turnaround strategy, the reasons it has not prevented the current retrenchment process, and the back pay reportedly owed to employees.
GNT’s employees and the commuters who depend on this essential public transport service deserve full disclosure, honest answers and accountable leadership.