News Transport

EKURHULENI BRT SYSTEM ON THE GROWTH PATH

By Kgotso Motlhatswi 1809

The City of Ekurhuleni together with the local taxi industry as its stakeholder are shifting gears and levelling up to establish a permanent Vehicle Operating Company (VOC) to manage its BRT system.

In 2019, over 900 minibus/ taxi operators accountable for 2 300 taxis belonging to various local taxi associations underwent a registration process as a build up to the establishment of the permanent VOC. Meaning, upon successful completion of the negotiations, the VOC will be fully in-charge of the BRT system operations and the city will oversee the system.

Now, all the concerned parties have mutually agreed to see the city’s BRT system grow in leaps and bounds by committing to engage in negotiations to establish a permanent vehicle operating company to oversee operations and to continuously provide a reliable, safe, and affordable public transport system.

The negotiations will commence in earnest at the beginning of February 2024.

Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Transport Planning in the city Cllr Andile Mngwevu says, “As the city, together with the taxi industry, we anticipate that the negotiations will get underway from February, and we are optimistic that they will be concluded in time to ensure that we fast-track the expansion of the Harambee services to other areas of the city.”

The negotiations will also touch on the Phase 1A compensation which will lead to the furthering of Phases 1B and 1C of Harambee operations.

Meanwhile, the city and its stakeholders on Monday 29 January 2024 celebrated a milestone of having successfully completed the Phase 1A corridor of the BRT system dubbed Harambee. The Phase 1A corridor BRT system currently operates from the north-south directions from Thembisa to Kempton Park and the OR Tambo International Airport and surrounding areas. While the main corridor runs from Thembisa through to RTJ Namane Drive, through to Zuurfontein Road, via Pretoria Road and Jones Road.

The Harambee bus service has been on the growth path for years now having started with a fleet of eight buses in October 2017 and now boasting 56 top of the range buses.