Dozens of CNT Buses Stranded in Bonne-Terre After Mass Sick Leave

Dozens of buses belonging to the CNT — the Central Navigation Company (Compagnie Nationale de Transport), one of Mauritius's main state-linked public bus operators — were left immobilised at their Bonne-Terre depot following a sudden wave of sick leave taken by staff members. The mass absences, which affected drivers and other operational personnel, left a significant portion of the fleet unable to run its scheduled routes. The Bonne-Terre depot, located in the north-central region of Mauritius near Vacoas-Phoenix, serves as a key hub for CNT services covering multiple routes across the island. **What happened?** A large number of CNT employees called in sick in what appears to be a coordinated — or at least simultaneous — wave of absenteeism. The result: dozens of buses sat idle at the depot rather than serving passengers, causing disruptions across the routes CNT is responsible for operating. While the full scale of the disruption and the number of buses affected have not been officially confirmed in detail, the situation was significant enough to draw media attention and raise questions about the underlying grievances that may have prompted the action. **Background: What is the CNT?** The CNT (Compagnie Nationale de Transport) is a public bus company operating under the oversight of the Mauritian government. It runs scheduled bus services across various regions of the island and is one of several operators — alongside the NTC (National Transport Corporation) and private bus companies — that make up Mauritius's public transport network. CNT employees are unionised, and the company has historically been a site of labour disputes over wages, working conditions, and management practices. **What this means** For everyday commuters relying on CNT routes, the disruption would have meant missed buses, longer waits, and difficulty getting to work or school. In Mauritius, public buses remain the primary mode of transport for a large segment of the population, particularly lower-income workers who cannot afford private vehicles or taxis. Mass sick leave is a well-known form of industrial action used by workers when formal strike action is restricted or when employees want to apply pressure without technically breaching their contracts. If the absences were coordinated in response to a workplace dispute, management and relevant labour authorities may be called upon to intervene. The incident puts a spotlight on ongoing tensions within Mauritius's public transport sector, where staff grievances over pay and conditions have periodically boiled over into service disruptions. Source: Le Defi Media