Mbabane – The Minister of Housing and Urban Development Apollo Maphalala has urged local governments and central government to merge forces and move with speed in fixing the country’s troubled public transport system.
Maphalala said the situation was unfortunate because public transport should be the most affordable and convenient option for the majority of the population. Instead, he said, commuters were increasingly opting for private cars simply because the public transport sector was not functioning efficiently and it is unreliable.
He said earlier he was in Manzini, where the city launched its Walk to Work campaign. He noted that the initiative fitted well with the day’s message, as it encourages people to leave their cars at home and walk to work or those who work at longer distance away from home to use the public transport.
He said it was time to “dethrone the car from the position we have placed it in,” but added that this would only be possible if walking and using public transport were made safe and reliable. “Our streets must be safe, the streetlights must be working, and people must feel secure even when walking late. The bus rank must be safe too,” he said.
The Minister also raised concern about the manner in which public transport permits are issued. He said there were routes overcrowded with public transport vehicles yet new permits continued to be issued for those same routes, yet other routes with very few vehicles were struggling because only a handful of permits were granted. He said it was clear that some players were protecting themselves from competition in certain areas. “This is not right. There has to be a proper way of determining how permits are issued,” he said.
Maphalala said local government and central government must work together to clean up and modernise the sector. He said the transport system needed a complete turnaround to ensure that it served the public instead of a few individuals.
“When public transport works, the whole country works,” he said, adding that efficient systems cut travel costs, save fuel, reduce emissions, and shorten travel times.
He praised the City of Mbabane for its ongoing efforts to improve mobility, saying the municipality had demonstrated what could be achieved through planning and commitment. “You are not waiting for change. You are leading it,” he said.
Discussion about this post