June 7, 2006
By Tammy O'Reilly
REHANA Moosajee, mayoral committee member for transport, may have only acquired her driver's licence a year ago, but that's no indication of her knowledge of travelling and transportation in Johannesburg.
Judging from the conviction with which she speaks about her plans for the department, it's clear that she knows the ins and outs of transport in the City. She took up her position in April this year and by the time her five-year term is up, she hopes to have changed the way all road users see transport.
"I am humbled by the appointment," says Moosajee. "The ANC had a vast pool of talent from which to choose, but I have value to add to this portfolio and I will no doubt do my best to create a transport system that users and the City can be proud of."
Moosajee grew up in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, and graduated with a BA Education Degree from Wits University. After a brief teaching stint, she left to raise her two children, now nine and 11 years old. Although motherhood was her priority, she continued to serve the community of Brixton and Mayfair as the editor of a community newspaper, a presenter of a children's programme on a community radio station and a member of the Community Policing Forum (CPF).
In 1995 she became the first administrator at the Parliamentary Constituency Office in Lenasia, during which time her interest in politics was cemented. In December 2000 she was elected as a PR councillor and served on the Health Portfolio Committee, the Disciplinary Committee and multi-party Women's Steering Committee.
Enhancing public transport
The improvement of roads, the City's stormwater network, improving signage and looking at ways to decrease the accident rate are just some aspects that Moosajee plans to tackle during her term, but top of her list is the enhancement of the public transport sector.
Public transport in the city
The City has an estimated 12 300 taxis in Johannesburg and more than 72% of all public transport trips are made on taxis.
"We cannot underestimate the importance of taxis and public transport to the City and its residents. If the taxi industry decided to stop operating, it would have disastrous results on our economy," says Moosajee. "We are going to be unapologetic about our focus on public transport. As government, our mandate is about servicing the poor, but of course that doesn't mean we are going to ignore private transport users."
It has been found that more than half of the City's taxi commuters are dissatisfied with fares, crime at taxi ranks and taxi industry violence, while 66% of users are fearful that taxis are either unroadworthy or driven recklessly.
"People are quite clearly using a mode of transport that they are not satisfied with, but they have few alternatives. So, there's a different focus which I'm trying to bring to the department that I hope will bring about some positive changes."
The change she speaks of is motivated by her ongoing involvement with the Living Values Education Programme endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
According to the programmes website: "The purpose of the Living Values Education Programme is to provide guiding principles and tools for the development of the whole person, recognising that the individual is comprised of physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual dimensions".
In short, this means focusing on very basic values like honesty, tolerance, love, and respect and incorporating them into the system.
Creating a culture of care
"We want to create a user culture of care and pride in the transport system. Everyone - from the bus driver to pedestrians to taxi drivers - seem to have forgotten the values of ubuntu. We share the space on the roads and if we respect ourselves and respect human life we wouldn't be driving the way we do."
"It's a soft programme that will be difficult to measure, but it's really going to get people thinking about how we use our roads."
She also has a range of more intense programmes planned around transport information and awareness and the launch of mobile education units targeting the youth.
"We are going to look at a way of sending out daily traffic tips and we are also going to actively participate in Public Transport Month and Car Free Day planned for October."
Moosajee added that private car users need to be given incentives to use public transport.
The department will also look at an integrated ticketing system for buses and taxis.
"Many public transport commuters use more than one mode of public transport to get to work. Currently there is no consistency on how buses and taxis arrive at their fares and it will take extensive negotiations before we can agree on uniformity in pricing."
But first the City must strengthen its relationship with the taxi industry. Although meetings and consultations are held regularly with taxi associations, Moosajee says the short distance taxi industry in Joburg, which has in excess of 30 associations, is not a coherent one.
Many people who use the City's public transport are not from Johannesburg. By July this year, municipalities in the province would have signed the Gauteng Intergovernmental Transport Charter, an agreement to work together to improve transport in Gauteng.
"Municipalities can't plan on their own without taking cognisance of what is happening in surrounding areas and with the construction of the Gautrain already having started, it is becoming even more important for us to work together. "
"We understand that there are all kind of concerns about the disruptions that roll-out of a Gautrain will cause. As the City, we have alerted the Transport MEC to these concerns," says Moosajee. "What the people of Joburg need to understand is that while there is going to be a price to pay during construction once the Gautrain is complete, it will have a very big role to play in reducing traffic congestion."
One of her focuses will be organising a transport system to accommodate 2010 Soccer World Cup visitors, especially for those who will be coming from other African countries by bus or rail.
"The World Cup provides us with a pressure point to make things happens in a way that leaves a legacy in our city. If you are a visitor coming to the country by plane, then you land at a very posh Johannesburg International Airport. However, if you are coming by road from another part of Africa, then it's not so pleasant. We are going to be looking at creating international transit shopping centres that are equivalent to the airport."
On a technical note, she says the City is exploring the feasibility of installing traffic lights with built-in sensors that respond to fluctuating levels of traffic as well as solar-powered panels which will reduce the time spent in traffic during winter when power cuts are common.
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