Cape Town - With the December holidays just around the corner and families beginning to prepare for their long road trips, Joe Gqabi Bus Terminus in Philippi, Cape Flats, is already gearing up for an influx of travellers.
Western Cape Long Distance Bus Association secretary Gordon Makaluza said they were ready for the coming weekend, which would see them on their toes making sure that everyone adhered and complied with the Covid-19 regulations by wearing masks and observing physical distancing.
Makaluza said that while the government has interventions in place to curb the spread of Covid-19, each commuter is expected to have a cloth mask on before boarding a bus or any other mode of public transport.
As part of the Western Cape government’s Covid-19 awareness and enforcement campaign, Transport and Public Works MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela on Sunday, visited the Joe Gqabi interchange to encourage travellers to follow the Covid-19 golden rules of hygiene for keeping safe and to ensure operators and public transport passengers comply with lockdown Level 1 regulations.
Madikizela said the purpose of the visit was to engage transport operators and passengers and distribute educational material aimed at positively influencing travellers to behave responsibly while using the road network.
Madikizela said the Western Cape was still expecting an influx of traffic from other parts of the province this festive season, and while that was a good news for the tourism economy, it would require them to take extra measures to keep the roads safe and to contain Covid-19.
During his visit at the Joe Gqabi interchange, he walked about among the buses, where he reminded travellers and drivers without masks to wear them and to comply with the rules. Some said they had lost their masks, and some had them in their pockets.
Madikizela said that was why their festive season safety plan also included a focus on Covid-19, through increased enforcement and awareness of Covid-19 health and safety rules, especially on public transport.
"Joe Gqabi is the busiest long distance transport interchange in the province and is already gearing up for an influx of holiday goers, therefore all parties must take care to ensure they play their role to prevent the virus from spreading," he said.
Zongamele Sima, who works in one of the buses, said some people were not complying with the Covid-19 regulations. “We do not allow anyone who does not comply with the regulations to board our buses,” he said.
Cape Argus