Public transport to entice the rich

By Sibongiseni Thabethe

There is a tendency for South Africans to think that the use of public transport is determined by the economic status of a person, a perception influenced by the separate economic development strategy used by apartheid regime.

In South Africa, it is believed that only poor or those who cannot afford their own cars use public transport when they go to and from work or travelling for any purpose. People tend even to mock other groups like whites and rich people if they travel by public transport.

However this is to change, thanks to the KZN Department of Transport’s commitment to transform and uplift the public transportation sector, which is done in partnership with all relevant stakeholders.

In a historic move to secure the future of the sector, KZN MEC for Transport Mr Bheki Cele called a Public Transport Indaba that was recently held. Stakeholders including representatives from the department, taxi associations, bus associations, SAPS, traffic police and metro police attended the gathering.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Head of the Department (HOD) Dr Kwazi Mbanjwa said it was bizarre that in this country people are forced by financial circumstances to use public transport. He said statistics showed that people with low income use public transport because they have no alternative.

"But it is amazing that people in rich countries overseas and in other parts of Africa use public transport willingly and comfortably. People overseas can afford expensive cars but they prefer to economize on transport because using your own car has its own financial implications such expensive parking etc," he said.

The most influential factor making overseas transport so popular, Dr Mbanjwa said is safety, reliability, effectiveness and affordability. He added that KwaZulu-Natal will follow suit and make such transport user-friendly to both rich and poor.

Referring to diversification strategies, Dr Mbanjwa told the taxi operators that they were poised to enjoy more business opportunities if they thought about expanding to meter taxi, coach liner and freight businesses.

Touching on an always emotional issue of recapitalisation, he said the taxi industry should be at rest because the national department has admitted that KZN department was always right, on behalf of the industry, when it questioned the three companies bidding for tender.

Dr Mbanjwa said even the Department of Trade and Industry has thrown that out of the window and it has been agreed that the industry should sort out itself as to who they want as vehicle manufacturer.

The department has always been complaining about being under funded, now by R400 mln which makes it hard to satisfy everyone simultaneously. In this regard, the HOD said a proposal has been made for the department to get some money from fuel levy and fines from offensive drivers.

He said all the money generated from transport went to the treasury and 85% of that goes to health, education and welfare and only 15% is divided among all departments.

"But we hope things will have turned around by 2010. We want all public transport stake holders to consider any other matter which has a bearing on making this sector to be in state of readiness for 2010 World Cup and other opportunities," he concluded.

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