Executive Mayor and councillors of Nelson Mandela Bay Metro
Public Transport Industry
Business representatives
LOC members
Government officials
Members of the media
People of Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
Today we are unveiling another milestone in the history of public transport in South Africa, especially in this region, which will serve as a legacy beyond the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
The South African Government signed guarantees with CAF, where we committed ourselves to:
- ensure efficient and safe transportation for all visitors
- provide sufficient air, road and rail transport operators to accommodate the event
- provide sufficient transport infrastructure to accommodate projected travel demands.
Our main objective was to support the success of the 2013 AFCON tournament and to accelerate the pace of implementation and catalyse a lasting transport legacy.
I would like to congratulate the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro for making us proud as the Eastern Cape by making sure that we deliver another successful tournament following the great achievement of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The state of readiness of our transportation system for any international tournament is already under extreme scrutiny, which compels us to accelerate our pace, especially on the tournament-related activities.
Working together with various role players, the municipality and the Eastern Cape Department of Transport had a responsibility to ensure that we improve the overall transportation system efficiency and safety by anticipating and meeting the transportation operational needs related to the tournament.
We salute all the men and women who were involved in these preparations under the political leadership of the Deputy Executive Mayor of this Metro Councillor Sihlwayi. MALIBONGWE!
Our plan for this tournament will primarily ensure that we:
- reduce delays through traffic control
- improve road conditions and promote alternative routes
- promote and facilitate the use of public transport
- improve safety of all commuters
- ensure maximum utilisation of our airports and rail services
The much-talked about Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS) Pilot Project will be operated under a contract between Transbay (jointly owned by Algoa Bus and Kyoscan [minibus taxi industry]) and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) in terms of a portion of the Interim Contract that the Department assigned to the municipality.
As we speak, the Eastern Cape Department of Transport has issued Operating Licences for 19 of the 25 buses. The other 6 buses had to go for COFs (Certificates of Fitness) yesterday , Thursday and the COFs will be submitted to the department today, Friday and then the last 6 Operating Licences will be issued.
The buses were inspected by Algoa Bus Company on behalf of Transbay. Operations will start on Sunday to cater for the first two matches in the AFCON Cup in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Operations for AFCON will be dealt with in an addendum to the main contract between NMBM and Transbay, as the operations for AFCON will carry on until 23:00 than the scheduled Pilot Project operations that will run until 20:30 at night.
The following will also happen:
- Traffic light bus priority
- Bus parking-off spaces to be marked behind the Post Office – this was completed on Tuesday, 15 January 2013.
- Traffic officers and metro police have started with their work relating to the pilot project with effect from 14 January 2013 in order to accommodate the training trips that needed to be undertaken.
With regard to traffic law enforcement:
1. We will have the continuation of our operations from the festive season up until the end of the competition with traffic officers available 24 hours a day on match days.
2. Special attention will be paid to all roads leading to Port Elizabeth through:
- Conducting high visibility patrols
- Providing a efficient emergency response to road users
- Providing traffic law enforcement and traffic control
- Conducting public information, road safety education and road safety awareness programmes.
The identified routes are:
N2 Grahamstown to Port Elizabeth, N10 Nanaga to CookHouse, R62 Joubertina to Humansdorp, R72 Nanaga to Port Alfred, R75 Jansenville to Port Elizabeth, R336 Addo to R75 (Uitenhage), R342 Paterson to Route 335.
In conclusion, let us all work together to promote Ubuntu and make this tournament another proudly South African moment.
I thank you.
