Eastern Cape MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison, Ghishma Barry, today appealed to the national Department of Transport to seriously consider additional funding for rural bus passenger services.
MEC Barry was participating in a debate of the Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele's budget speech in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in Cape Town this afternoon.
She first appreciated the DORA allocation of R148 million to Algoa Bus Company from the national Department of Transport for operations in the Nelson Mandela Metro, but appealed for the extension of this funding to the rural bus passenger services.
"In provinces like the Eastern Cape, rural areas are where the majority of our people, who really need this service, reside," said Barry.
She brought to the attention of the NCOP and Minister Ndebele the challenge of limited funding, which includes:
- Provincial government allocation of R23.675 million to Africa's Best 350 Ltd for bus operations in the eastern part of the province, which is insufficient when considering the challenge of access to public transport by rural communities, especially when they want to access government services like schools, clinics, hospitals, police stations and pension points.
- An insufficient allocation of R39.209 million to Mayibuye Transport Corporation, a provincial government parastatal and its operations are 90 percent rural.
"There is a dire need for more injection of funds into this corporation in order to enhance its capacity through the refurbishment of its fleet and to ensure that its services reach more rural communities," she added.
"I would like to appeal to the national Department of Transport, in the spirit of rural development, to seriously consider the subsidisation of our rural public transportation system," Barry appealed.
Media contact:
Ncedo Kumbaca
Cell: 082 4422 388
Source: Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
