On October 30, Business Day published a half-page advertisement from the City of Johannesburg calling for public comment on the local content percentage of new buses to be bought for phase 3 of the Rea Vaya BRT network.
The City should rather be taking newspaper space to tell us how it is tackling the collapse of Rea Vaya phase 2 and the meltdown of Johannesburg Metrobus.
Both the Gautrain and BRT have proved to be a waste of money. The money budgeted for expanding these construction mafia-led projects should be diverted to funding pensions to qualifying taxi owners and drivers so they can leave that overtraded industry.
Taxi passengers who up to now have been overpaying for the doubtful privilege of travelling in taxis will benefit far more from the introduction of a provincial network of formal public transport. It would include all existing subsidised operators — Prasa, municipal buses in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, Putco and other provincially contracted bus operators.
Against a national background of financial constraints, the need for the total restructuring of public transport in SA cannot continue to be put off much longer.
Vaughan Mostert
North Riding
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