Cape Argus E-dition

Public transport in crisis

‘City’s tardy response a dereliction of duty’

MWANGI GITHAHU mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za

THE public transport system in the province, especially in Cape Town, has all but collapsed – with the passenger rail system at an almost complete standstill because of vandalism and railway invasions, the Golden Arrow Bus Service (Gabs) beset by robberies and arson, the minibus taxi industry engulfed in open warfare – with shootings almost on a daily basis – and a major route of the MyCiti bus service halted since last year.

The Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) said that, since 2019, there had been a 66% decrease in week-day train services throughout the province. This translates to 293 fewer trains operating every single day.

The provincial Department of Transport and Public Works said Metrorail had lost about two-thirds of its passengers and more than half of its rolling stock due to arson attacks.

According to Prasa chairperson Leonard Ramatlakane the Metrorail issue was exacerbated during level 5 of the lockdown, when thousands of homeless people – in Langa and surrounds – began illegally occupying tracks and even railway yards.

Briefing the legislature’s transport standing committee, Ramatlakane said Prasa had been in talks with the mayor and City officials since September 2020, regarding the issue of a land swop that would see the illegal occupiers left in place and Prasa rebuild its railway yard further down the train line, but to no avail.

However, the City rejected accusations that it was dragging its feet on the issue of a land swop with Prasa.

Mayco member for human settlements Malusi Booi said: “The City has been offering constructive solutions to this challenge throughout. We had also urged Prasa to take action early to prevent this situation from occurring.”

United Commuters' Voice (UCV) spokesperson João Jardim said they were disturbed by the way Metrorail had left commuters in the lurch.

“Commuters are left to their own devices, while vandalism, theft, murder and mayhem are the rule of the day, this happening in full view of the police and security. The story does not get any better with MyCiti or with Gabs. The stench of gross incompetence and unwillingness to fix what is broken is unfortunately what we – as commuters – must deal with on a daily basis,” Jardim said.

Good Party secretary-general Brett Herron said the mayor should be doing everything he could to facilitate public transport among Cape Town’s poorest and most far-flung communities.

“The City’s tardy response to the public transport system collapse is a dereliction of duty. Metrorail’s collapse has been compounded by the collapse of the MyCiTi N2 Express bus service, to Mitchell’s Plain and Khayelitsha,” said Herron.

City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo said the the City’s hands were tied, while it waited for a judgment in a June 2020 application, brought by the Codeta taxi association, to have the N2 Express Company liquidated. “The application is opposed by two of the three shareholders, namely Golden Arrow Bus Service and Route Six Taxi Association,” Tyhalibongo said.

In an attempt to turn the taxi industry into a sound business, the provincial government developed the Blue Dot taxi scheme, a pilot project of which went live in May.

The nine-month pilot project will see the participation of about 1 300 minibus taxis from across the province in a new incentive programme that rewards improved driving behaviour and higher service quality..

Transport and Public Works MEC Daylin Mitchell said: “The cost of this transport crisis to the economy is huge … Ultimately, the Western Cape government would like to see urgent action to progress Cape Town and the Western Cape, towards a good quality, dignified multi-modal public transport system – with integration between rail and other modes of public and private transport.”

President of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jacques Moolman said: “The only rational solution to the present chaos would be either the City or the province taking on the task, possibly in alliance with the private sector, of running the passenger rail service.”

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2021-06-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

http://capeargus.pressreader.com/article/281500754219593

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