Remant Alton buses are still non-operational due to the ongoing bus strike in Durban and if this continues it will resort to its second back-up plan, the company said on Monday.

Paul Rush, human resources manager for Remant Alton, said the company's first back-up plan to recruit new bus drivers was foiled when job applicants were assaulted and intimidated outside the premises, allegedly by protesters.

A manager at the Rossburgh depot was also assaulted, he said.

The company intended opening a criminal case against the bus strikers but were told by police that the victims were the only ones who could open a case.

"Our second plan is to speak to other bus operators to see if they can come in and assist us by sub-contracting with us and running on our routes," said Rush.

However, he said, private bus companies had indicated that their staff were not willing to do this.

"They were worried about the security of their staff and their buses."

This comes after 19 buses belonging to the troubled bus service were torched last week. The company has lodged an insurance claim for nearly R8.9-million. Rush said the buses were not new.

Remant Alton bus drivers embarked on illegal protest action three weeks, leading to the dismissal of 937 employees.

The workers were demanding that they be employed by the eThekwini Municipality as they claimed there was financial mismanagement within the bus service.

Rush said the company and two unions would be meeting at 2pm on Monday to discuss the matter further.

The drivers, meanwhile, say they are unhappy about the Durban Labour Court ruling on Friday.

The workers took Remant Alton to court demanding that they be paid out the balance of their salary for the month of September. The application was dismissed by the court.

Speaking on behalf of the striking drivers, Ernest Nzuza said the protest would continue.

"We did not get anything for the month of September and that's not fair. We did a lot of work," he said.

He denied allegations that protesting drivers had assaulted and intimidated people applying for their jobs.

"Our guys know they are not to do such things. But how can they give another person our jobs without speaking to us about it?

"We never received any dismissal notifications so we cannot apply for other jobs... as far as we are concerned, we are still employed by Remant Alton," said Nzuza.

eThekwini municipality manager Mike Sutcliffe and other officials were presently in a meeting discussing the bus strike situation and were unable to comment.

Sapa