Members of the new Free State Operating Licencing Board appointed recently by the MEC for Police, Roads and Transport in the Free State, Honourable Butana Komphela attended an induction course in Bloemfontein on 13 February 2013. The term of the former Board expired in 2010 and was given extension on a month to month basis.
The purpose of the induction was to give board members an overview of the legislation governing Operating Licence Board and to expose them to a number of operational processes with regard to their functions.
The following are some of the functions of the Board:
- Consider and adjudicate applications to grant operating licences.
- Authorise public transport for intra and interprovincial operations and
- Monitor and oversee public transport in the province.
According to Mr Tabi Sebitlo, the Provincial Registrar, there is a backlog of at least 1 200 applications to be processed.
“This tells us there is a lot of work to be done by the Board and it will have to work round the clock to ensure that the backlog is dealt with,” said Mr Sebitlo.
The operators in the province have been greatly disadvantage by the absence of the Board and their applications have been pending for some time and this has resulted in operators issued with temporary licences.
“It is our vision as the Board to do away with the burden put on operators by the issuing of temporary licences which require them to approach the office of the Board for renewal of these temporary licences”, said Mr Nthongoa, who is the chairperson of the Board.
He also said it is the objective of the Board to make the lives of the operators in the province easy and ensure that the province has safe and reliable public transport operations that have legitimate authority.
Enquiries:
Zolile Walaza
Cell: 082 410 6516
Saki Mohono
Cell: 082 385 5600
