Now I hear that some bosses are threatening workers who are late regularly because of the unpredictable trains.
Some have to work in the time, which of course has a domino effect on their family lives. I’ve heard of staff having their salaries docked at the rate of around R100 for every half an hour that they’re late.
In some cases, the hours that they are late, are being taken from the annual leave.
Others are being threatened with having their year-end bonuses withheld if they don’t pull up their socks and arrive on time.
In the worst cases, people are getting final written warnings and even being fired because of not being punctual.
Now I understand the bottom-line argument.
Time is money, and all that … but what about the impact on people’s lives?
Many people are going to work in an anxious state, worried that they are late yet again, through no fault of your own!
That’s the kind of tension that builds up and makes people sick, which will eventually also impact your business.
Bosses, you can’t demand that people be on time, when they are at the mercy of a broken transport system.
As someone who is contributing to the economy by providing jobs, shouldn’t you rather be lobbying Metrorail, government, Prasa, the business chamber and your political representatives instead?
Otherwise you are punishing the victims and taking away from them their dignity and, heavens forbid, their only livelihood!