Cosatu and a commuter group have called on transport authorities to overhaul the city's "shameful" public transport system before it was too late.
They warned that time was running out, and the province had to start implementing its plans for the 2010 World Cup soon.
Rail Commuter Action Group spokesperson Leslie van Minnen, said: "The time for talking is finished. The government and Metrorail have been discussing their problems and plans for over six years … It's now the case of getting down and doing something.
"They must get the shameful public transport into order and stop talking.
"Our system is in such a dire state, it's embarrassing … especially the rail system … and it can't be improved in three years.
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"It's an absolute joke to think the city or any other city is going to be ready for the event (2010).
"We've been fighting with Metrorail and the Transport Minister since 2001. Nothing has changed.
"They've installed a few CCTV cameras at some stations … have put some fencing around certain stations and more recently introduced the railway police. We appreciate that, but these are not priority issues," Van Minnen said.
"We need to improve the infrastructure first. We've got an ageing and unreliable rail system … our trains are very old, between 20 to 30 years old and they are not serviced properly because of poor management and poor maintenance.
"They don't have the political will or expertise available to improve the system to change the Third World commuter system into a respectable world class system. It will take an absolute miracle for them to change such system," he said.
Commuting is also dangerous, with frequent reports of injuries and death. The Rail Commuter Action Group is representing 51 commuters injured in railway accidents in a class action lawsuit against Metrorail, Transport Minister Jeff Radebe and other authorities.
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