Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Dr Ismail Vadi
Photo by: Duane Daws
The Gauteng government has made strides in advancing its ambitions of establishing an integrated transport authority and narrowing the fragmentation of the public transport system of South Africa’s most populous province.
Addressing media prior to Gauteng Premier David Makhura’s Budget Vote for the 2016/17 financial year at the Gauteng Legislature, Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Dr Ismail Vadi said on Tuesday that the formation of a single authority would enable integrated planning to be more coordinated as envisaged in the province’s two-year-old transformation, modernisation and reindustrialisation programme.
“The process of establishing a Gauteng Transport Authority, which will ensure effective and efficient management of transport in the Gauteng City Region, is at an advanced stage,” he said, adding that the amendments to the Cabinet-approved National Land Transport Amendment Bill heading through Parliament would pave the way.
It was expected the process would be concluded within the next year following the promulgation of the National Land Transport Act Amendment Bill, which held certain stipulations that would allow for a single authority.
Progress was also being made towards the signing of an in-principle agreement with Gauteng’s three major municipalities – Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and Johannesburg.
Currently, different spheres of government managed different functions and responsibilities of public transport, hindering effective and efficient transport service delivery.