The Minister of Transport, Ms Barbara Creecy has confirmed that the Bus Rapid Transit system, otherwise known as the Public Transport Network (PTN) grant would be discontinued for underperformance. She led a government delegation constituted of officials from the Transport portfolio and the National Treasury. “For too long, the grant had been underperforming and was not achieving the objectives for which it was establish,” Minister Creecy told the Portfolio Committee on Transport on Tuesday.
Minister Creecy told the committee that after 15 years there were only two partially successful BRT operations, the Western Cape (Cape Town, My Citi) being more successful; and Johannesburg. The two situations carry about 147000 passengers daily compared to the taxi industry which carries about 8 million passengers daily. “I am citing these to highlight that other forms of transport are moving a lot more passengers.”
Minister Creecy revealed that consultations are still ongoing on how best to refocus the PNT grant in a way that could benefit passengers. Although a decision had been taken, but government will make sure that the winding down process does not disadvantage commuters on already existing functioning routes and that existing contractual obligations will be honoured. Minister Creecy and National Treasury are currently briefing the Portfolio Committee on Transport on the winding down process which would last about three years.
The committee sought clarity on a number of issues regarding the decision and the stress such an eventuality will cause to poor South Africans who rely on public transport for commuting and linking up with economic opportunities.
Committee member Mr Makhashule Gana said he accepted that there were capacity challenges at municipalities; but that it was not coming out clear was how these would be managed in the next three years.
He asked if repurposing of the infrastructure was under consideration while consultations were still ongoing.
Committee member Mr Sibongiseni Vilakazi raised concerns around the infrastructure that had lay unused for a long period of time. He said the approach of giving solutions without understanding the nature of the problem was not a right way of implementing projects.
“We however welcome the frank nature of the presentations and that the department is open and honest about the challenges. This is an indictment on government; I don’t understand how officials speak freely without shame, speaks to the lack of consequence management and needs to be addressed.”
Mr Vilakazi asked how was it possible that participant municipalities on the grant failed to comply all these years, and yet funding continued being pumped.
He asked if the winding down would expose government to litigation, and if such could be avoided at all. But also asked if in the new reconfigured grant system there would be safeguards against non-complaince and performance failures.
The committee Chairperson, Mr Donald Selamolela, said the committee will invite both the Department of Transport and the National Treasury to come and present the distance covered in the year. He said it should not happen that government money was lost to inability to execute projects. “We should ensure that this does not happen again. Our communities must be at the centre of whatever we are doing. We agree with the minister that we cannot pump into money into something that is not working.”
Mr Selamolela sought clarity on how will future projects be insulated from similar challenges as seen with the PTN.
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