The FF Plus is delighted that there has been some progress in the court case in the form of a class action that Transnet pensioners had instituted against Transnet and the government, Adv. Anton Alberts, the FF Plus’ parliamentary spokesperson on Transport said.
The pensioners’’ legal team today announced that the Gauteng North High Court will on 4th and 5th of April be hearing arguments on the objections that Transnet had lodged regarding certain aspects in the pleadings of the claimants.
The court will thereafter decide whether the particulars of the claim have to be amended. If so, Transnet will be given the opportunity to react to the court’s decision. The process has to be finalised within a month.
Following this process, the claimants’ legal team will apply for the earliest available court date to start court proceedings.
In the class action, nearly 70 000 pensioners of all races are claiming approximately R80 billion from Transnet. This is the largest civil action in the country’s legal history.
According to Adv. Anton Alberts, the FF Plus has walked the road with pensioners since 2006 and has shared their love and losses in the process.
“The majority of the claimants have come through many years of great suffering. Many of them have become impoverished and have died in the greatest of misery. The FF Plus therefore shares their joy about the progress and gives its assurance that the party will continue on the path with them until the end.
“We thank the independent legal team for their selfless work and especially the pensioners who have been waiting for so long and so patiently for the case to run its course. We believe that justice will be done where Transnet has to answer on the merit of the claim against it.
“Transnet has to date desperately tried to delay the case on technical points. The result of this has been that many pensioners have over time passed away. Many due to suffering, a lack of funds and accompanying medical care.
“It can therefore not be denied that Transnet is a reckless and heartless institution which has the blood of many of these people on its hands,” Adv. Alberts said.
For more information:
Jennifer Rautenbach
Contact no.: 072 217 1951
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