Keynote address delivered by the Minister of Transport, Mr Fikile Mbalula, on the occasion of the oversight inspection of the Rustenburg Integrated Public Transport Network held at Civic Centre on 8 July 2022 at 13h00
Ladies and gentlemen
This morning we undertook an inspection of the various corridors of the Yarona Integrated Public Transport Network to get a better sense of the state and progress made in rolling out the bus rapid transit infrastructure. The inspection was equally meant to enable us to determine the form and nature of interventions required to complete the infrastructure and operationalise the service. I am alarmed at the unacceptable state of bus lanes and stations.
Our electoral mandate enjoins us to raise the bar in the quality of services we deliver to our people. It equally requires of us to move at a brisker pace to deliver a public transport system that is responsive to the needs and aspirations of our people. The integrated public transport networks, built on the back of the bus rapid transit system take us a step closer to realising this goal.
Since coming to office, we have been emphatic that our approach to service delivery cannot continue with the same approach that has not yielded tangible results in the past.
The electoral mandate of the 6th Administration is premised on the khawuleza ethos, which requires that we inculcate a culture of accelerated service delivery by moving at a brisker pace in delivering services.
We are under no illusion that a paradigm shift is a necessary condition towards delivering tangible outcomes that citizens can see, feel and experience.
The impact of the quality of public transport services on the citizens is immediate in that they use this mode every day. Giving effect to the White Paper vision of an efficient, affordable, safe, effective and reliable public transport system can only be realized through systematic interventions that deliver tangible outcomes incrementally.
The implementation of IPTNs that enable seamless movement of public transport users across modes is our key priority. The efficiencies of the IPTNs will be enhanced by the rollout of a cashless fare system and integrated ticketing, changing the experience of the commuter for the better.
Government has made a significant investment in excess of R2 billion in developing the Rustenburg Yarona IPTN, since 2011. This service ought to have commenced operations in 2018 and the long delays caused by failure to complete infrastructure projects are unacceptable. These delays fuel ballooning costs, resulting from incomplete infrastructure that deteriorates or vandalised.
The chronic project management failures deprive the citizens of Rustenburg a public transport system that is affordable, accessible, safe and efficient. It is only through our collective effort that we will make a telling difference in the lives of our people. The people must equally hold those elected to public office accountable for delivering on the electoral mandate.
If we are to resolve the problems that bedevil this project, we must be brutally honest in our appraisal and take the citizens into confidence on our plans to tackle challenges. We must equally hold those charged with the responsibility to deliver on this project accountable.
We have adopted a zero tolerance to corruption, and we will not hesitate to act against those found to have misappropriated public funds for their personal benefit. Working with the National Treasury, a forensic investigation will get underway to determine what happened to the billions that were invested in this project and who is to be held accountable.
Once the investigation is completed, the arm of the law will find those who think they can steal from the public purse with impunity.
The failings in this project have been largely driven by gross inefficiency at city level, worsened by protracted procurement processes, failure to pay suppliers on time, filling vacancies with permanent staff.
We are committed to working with the city to build the requisite capacity, strengthen project management and introduce a more interventionist method of monitoring and oversight. These interventions are meant to expedite the delivery of an IPTN that that responds to the travel needs of the citizens of Rustenburg. We are determined to pull all stops and work with the city to complete the outstanding work over the next 6 months.
We will do this while the forensic investigation is unfolding, and this will include investigating why two different station contractors appointed by the city have failed in the last 5 years.
I am encouraged that the minibus taxi industry in Rustenburg is united and has come to the party to support the implementation of the IPTN project. The taxi industry has negotiated a citywide deal and have a capable team preparing for vehicle operations at the interim depot. The IPTN project is designed such that it creates a practical opportunity for the taxi industry to formalise and become a key player in the public transport economic value chain.
We also taken note of the fact that Phase 1A to Thlabane is a short distance, high volume corridor with good potential according to the City’s plan. We must move with the necessary urgency to operationalise this route as it will give impetus to the rest of the project.
Over time, delays have seen this IPTN project reduced to smaller phases over a longer period, yet we are told the Rustenburg minibus tax industry is ready to hand over one thousand one hundred (1,100) taxis city-wide in favour of participating in the Yarona IPTN compared to the one hundred and thirty 130 taxis for Phase 1A.
I therefore appeal to the Mayor and the City administration not to squander this opportunity to decisively address challenges and operationalise a city- wide IPTN in Rustenburg in the shortest possible time.
You have our support, and we remain ready to do everything in our power to help the city develop the requisite capacity to implement this project.
It is therefore our expectation that over the next 12 months, the city will move with speed to complete the stations and other infrastructure.
This must enable the commencement of operations in Phase 1A from Rustenburg to Thlabane and ramp up the service to move twenty thousand (20,000) commuters a day. We must equally work on an ambitious timeline to expand to Phase 1B to Kanana.
In conclusion, our commitment to a public transport system that is seamlessly integrated and responsive to the needs of the citizens has never been greater. It is for this reason that through our interventions, we will infuse the khawuleza ethos in all our actions. This will ensure that no community is left behind in the provision of an efficient public transport system that supports the livelihoods of our people.
We must continue to work together to build better communities and deliver services to our people in line with our mandate and to the best of our ability.
I thank you.
