Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A strike by rail workers in South Africa left two million commuters stranded Monday just 24 days from the kick-off of the World Cup, in which the rail network is expected to play a major role.
Nearly 12,000 workers at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa went on strike Monday, shutting down the agency's commuter trains and inter-city rail network nationwide.
Tumisang Kgaboesele, the agency's acting CEO, said the South African government had called for a quick resolution of the strike.
"The government has expressed concern about the effect the strike would have on commuters and the potential violence and intimidation that normally arises with it," Kgaboesele told the Sapa news agency.
"They advised us that we need to move quickly."
Some two million commuters have been left stranded by the strike, Sapa estimated.
The rail agency said it had offered workers an eight percent across-the-board wage increase, but workers were demanding 16 percent.
The strike involves workers from two unions, the SA Trade and Allied Workers Union and the United Transport and Allied Trade Union, whose members had already gone on strike last week at national transport authority Transnet, which oversees the country's rail network, harbours and fuel pipelines.
Monday's strike shut down all Metrorail commuter trains and the Shosholoza Meyl inter-city rail network, both of which are expected to help ferry World Cup fans to and from matches during the June 11 to July 11 tournament.
The rail agency has spent 225 million dollars (177 million euros) upgrading its train and bus services ahead of the World Cup.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments