Cape Town - New Mayco member for Transport Rob Quintas has said that while he will only be in the job for a few months, until the local government elections, he will focus on the basics in tackling the City of Cape Town’s transport issues.
Quintas has been ward councillor for Hout Bay and a city councillor for more than five years, and now takes over the transport portfolio which has been vacant since Felicity Purchase was elected as council speaker in May.
The election of Purchase comes after the retirement of Dirk Smit, who served as councillor and speaker for 15 years.
During Thursday’s council meeting, Quintas said that he would be focusing all his energy and passion on improving the basics within the City’s transport directorate.
“Transport is the cardiovascular system of any city. Its roads connect us and enable business activity and job creation. Its transport services keep us moving. Our residents have high expectations of service delivery in Cape Town, and rightly so. My purpose is to make sure we meet and exceed these expectations.
“With back-to-basics, I mean ensuring that road maintenance happens as speedily as possible, that potholes get repaired and stormwater infrastructure and retention ponds are attended to where there are problems,” Quintas said.
“These issues have a direct impact on our communities, regardless of where they live, and especially now in the rainy season.”
He said that one of my key priorities in the coming months is getting the N2 Express service operating again.
“Thousands of commuters from Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain relied on this service to travel to the CBD and back. I have been briefed on the latest developments and I can assure commuters this matter will be resolved.”
He added that Cape Town has been affected by Covid-19 as much as any other city in South Africa, and it has impacted service delivery.
“We have put systems in place to mitigate delays and the pandemic’s impact and we are adapting to new challenges as fast as we can. Still, I want to assure residents that I will hold officials accountable while I’m here. We’re working on improving the capacity at our road depots across the city and residents will experience the difference soon.”
Quintas added that there are many ongoing road maintenance projects, capital projects and initiatives to improve transport services. He will be conducting site visits in the coming weeks.
“In the end, we all want the same things: a safe and secure life where we and our children have access to opportunities and the freedom to enjoy living. Transport is the artery that enables access to opportunities and I will make this my business until the end of my term,” he said.