Jobs in public transport sector safe
Jobs in the public transport sector will be protected even when the bus rapid transport programme is introduced in 2016.
This is according to Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality’s (EMM) spokesperson, Mr Samuel Modiba.
Mr Modiba was speaking after a meeting that involved public transport operators from Ekurhuleni and the metro, which was held at Muldersdrift recently.
During the meeting, the head of Ekurhuleni’s transport planning and provision department, Ms Yolisa Mashilwane, said the jobs in the system will be permanent and will comply with labour legislation with respect to the conditions of service, with benefits such as regular salaries, annual leave, sick leave and many more.
“The BRT system is not only going to address current challenges such as households spending more on public transport, a lack of co-operative and coordinated public transport and lengthy travel times, but it will also address the scourge of unemployment. The jobs will range from cleaning, bus drivers, management and many others. This excludes the jobs to be created when the BRT infrastructure is developed. As the municipality, we have committed to advancing negotiations aimed at getting the current public transport operators an opportunity to participate in operating the BRT service as the shareholders of the new Bus Operating Company (BOC). In return, the affected operators will be required to withdraw vehicles which compete with the BRT routes from service,” said Ms Mashilwane.
She said all shareholders will benefit from this system.
“The withdrawal of vehicles is necessary because shareholders do not operate vehicles in competition with their own BRT operation and also to ensure that BRT fare revenue is sufficient to cover the cost of the BRT operation. The city urges public operators to view the change as a win-win situation for all stakeholders involved, including the public transport users. The current public operators will be given training to run a professional bus service as shareholders. The public transport users will enjoy an affordable, high quality and attractive road-based public transport service, serving the City as a whole,” she said.
Mr Modiba said the construction of the bus routes as part of phase one of the project will commence from mid-2014, and the first bus will start operating by early 2016.
