October 2, 2007
By George Matlala
CUTTING traffic congestion and safety on the roads top the list of issues the Gauteng provincial government will address during Public Transport Month.
Gauteng MEC for public transport, roads and works Ignatius Jacobs has announced a range of programmes that the department will roll out to observe the month, including the High Occupancy Vehicle Lane strategy, safety campaigns, a car free day concert, and a cleansing ceremony of the Bree Street Taxi Rank.
Public Transport Month, which kicked off on Monday, 1 October, is a campaign during which national, provincial and local departments of transport, roads and works hold various activities to encourage people to make use of public transport. It was launched in 2005.
According to Jacobs, it helped the government to work with operators and commuters to make public transport systems affordable, safe, reliable and environmentally sustainable. Speaking to representatives from the bus and taxi industries and commuter organisations at the launch of this year's campaign on Monday at Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Jacobs said, "Public Transport Month has had a very positive impact on the agenda to improve public transport in Gauteng province and our country."
Public transport investment
The government was pouring billions of rands into public transport infrastructure, he added, citing the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme and the Gautrain rapid rail link as examples of its commitment to efficient public transport.
However, Jacobs noted that more still had to be done. "Besides the numerous programmes currently being implemented, there is much room for improvement."
More than 2 000 unroadworthy taxis in Gauteng had been scrapped under the recapitalisation programme. "There is eagerness in the taxi industry to replace unroadworthy cars," he said, adding that the government had to subsidise the taxi industry in order for it to improve.
Various activities had been lined up for Public Transport Month, including car free day on 20 October. On this day the government would encourage people to use public transport instead of private cars. "During peak hours, commuting to work should be done with public transport."
High occupancy lanes
In one response to ever-growing traffic congestion, the department would set up a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane between Southgate Shopping Mall and the Crown Interchange in the south of Johannesburg.
"Traffic congestion costs the country billions of rand in lost time," Jacobs noted.
There would also be a cleansing ceremony at the Bree Street Taxi Rank, where several taxi drivers and commuters had been shot in taxi violence in recent months. "We are making a commitment to our ancestors that we stop the violence."
The Gauteng National Taxi Alliance (GNTA) has lent its support to the government's moves to encourage citizens to use public transport and to set up dedicated lanes.
"Give us dedicated lanes and streets because we are the biggest public transporters," said Alpheus Mlalazi, the general secretary of the organisation. The taxi industry also had to be included in the Local Organising Committee for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™.
"We want 2010 to be a success."
James Mothupi, the chairperson of the Gauteng Commuter Organisation, said the current public transport system had a long way to go to meet commuters' needs. He noted that it was neither integrated nor user friendly.
"There should be something tangible to address the plight of the disabled," he said.
Mothupi was also worried about the "slow pace" of the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme. He called on the taxi industry to align itself with the requirements of the programme and urged the government to subsidise the industry.
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