Cape Town - Over the next five years, the city’s transport authority wants to reduce the cost of all modes of transport in the city.
The city council will spend R278 million in this financial year to subsidise the cost of the MyCiTi service on the Phase 1A, 1B and the N2 Express.
Of the low-income group who use public transport in the city, 48 percent of them spend an average of 43 percent of their household income on the cost of a ticket for a bus, minibus or train.
Mayoral committee member for transport Brett Herron said the city should not be criticised for spending millions on keeping its MyCiTi buses on the road, because it was the norm the world over for public transport systems to be subsidised.
“The question that should be asked is how do we try to continually achieve efficiencies through innovative means,” said Herron.
He added that the DA administration was intent on bringing down transport costs for commuters if elected to office for another term, and not hiking fares above inflation.
Integrated ticketing system
This would be done through an integrated ticketing system across road and rail, addressing the inefficiencies of the city’s rail system and securing additional revenue sources such as advertising on buses and the introduction of electric buses which had lower maintenance and operating costs.
Herron said the city was on the verge of securing a service provider for the procurement of electric buses and the appointment was expected to be finalised by the end of August.
MyCiti passenger numbers up
More than 1.5 million journeys were recorded in June on MyCiTi buses. Over the past year, the average number of weekday passenger journeys increased by 33 percent from 46 677 in June 2015 to 62 183 in June 2016.
Despite the city losing a court challenge by Wynberg residents against the roll-out of Phase 2A, roadworks have begun along Strandfontein and Stock roads in preparation for two major trunk routes between Mitchells Plain and Claremont and Khayelitsha to Strandfontein.
But based on financial allocations from the Treasury, it will take at least five years before the routes are fully operational.
Over the next three years, the intention is to increase coverage of the N2 Express service.
‘National government must play its part’
Herron said the Minibus Taxi Transformation Model, approved by council in 2015 to govern the operation of minibuses in the city, would be extensively rolled out in the coming years.
By July 21, the city had spent 86 percent of its transport capital budget.
But Transport for Cape Town has been criticised for not delivering on an integrated transport system, leaving thousands of commuters to brave overcrowded trains.
Herron, in turn, has placed the blame at the door of the national transport minister, saying it had already been leading the way for other metros by establishing its own transport authority in 2012 in accordance with the National Land Transport Act.
“The biggest frustration has been the failure of the national minister of transport in giving effect to these much-needed assignments - the contracting authority and the opportunity to radically transform and improve our public transport network and service through integration.”
Herron said the national government had to play its part in fixing the city’s unreliable passenger rail system.
Inconsistent transport irks Khayelitsha residents
Khayelitsha residents who make regular use of public transport are tired of arriving late at work due to either train delays or waiting in long queues for a taxi.
In recent months, trains on the Khayelitsha line were faulty, forcing many commuters to travel by bus or taxi.
Paul Pelembe, 32, who is a hairdresser and owns two salons in Khayelitsha and Mowbray, depends on trains as a means of transport.
“The trains are always delayed or late and that is not good for my business. I lose a lot of money because of these delays.”
He added the trains regularly stop between stations for hours.
“Sometimes the trains stand for an hour and we, as passengers, fear that anything could happen because kids in Bonteheuwel like throwing stones at the trains.”
He said Metrorail needs to offer alternative means of transport when it is aware of delays.
Safety and security is a major issue on the Khayelitsha line.
A 36-year-old woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said her niece was robbed at knife-point on the train.
“The robbers got on at Bonteheuwel and took my niece’s phone and money.”
Wandile Madikane, 24, who works in Century City, said there are no MyCiTi buses from Litha Park in Khayelitsha to Century City.
“I use Golden Arrow and they make us wait for hours on end because there are only a few buses during the weekend.”
Busi Gulwa enjoys using taxis, but feels there is no transparency between taxi drivers, owners and the commuters. She has now moved on to Golden Arrow buses.
“It’s always frustrating when we are waiting for a taxi that takes forever to arrive.”
Problems of travelling to and from Hout Bay.
Without a train station or secure taxi rank, public transport remains a sticking point for residents in Hout Bay, particularly during the winter months.
Many residents do not own cars and rely solely on public transportation to get around.
A 46-year-old man from Khayelitsha who travels in and out of Hout Bay said he has trouble getting around.
He works in Imizamo Yethu and has to take a train from Khayelitsha to Wynberg and then a taxi from Wynberg to Hout Bay.
“I have to wake up super early to catch a train which is very unpredictable because trains are subject to delays and they are not always safe. We are always squashed against each other and in that way people are at risk of getting robbed.”
He said after arriving in Wynberg, he still had to “fork out” more money for a taxi that would take him to Hout Bay.
“I spend a lot of money and I get home very tired because even in the taxi we are squashed together.”
Mpumezo Dungelo, a tailor from Imizamo Yethu, complained about the local taxi rank which left commuters exposed to the elements because of the lack of shelter.
“The taxi service is very good, but there is no shelter for the passengers to wait for the taxi. At times like these when it is raining so much, we tend to reach our destinations soaking wet.”
He added that he would appreciate if the City of Cape Town would try and build a proper taxi rank that would be safe and secure for both commuters and drivers.
Joletta Payne from Hout Bay regularly walks to where she needs to be, but said sometimes she takes the MyCiTi bus. She has walked from Hout Bay to Cape Town and even to Observatory, all in one day.
“As an old lady, I sometimes forget where I need to wait for the bus and I enter the wrong terminus. The sad part is that the payment made at the terminus is irreversible. I do not think that is fair because I did not travel on the bus, I just entered the terminus.”
She said that MyCiTi had to reconsider how commuters were charged.
Cape Argus