THE first Harambee buses are almost ready to take to Kempton Park’s streets.
Ald Johann Jordaan, in his capacity as a DA member of the Transport Oversight Portfolio, has met with the Harambee drivers during their advanced driving training course.
“I have been informed that the system’s first phase has been completed in Tembisa and that six of the Harambee BRT stations are currently under construction and are expected to be completed during the current financial year,” he said in a statement.
Harambee is Ekurhuleni’s bus rapid transit (BRT) system, a part of the Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network (IRPTN) in the City. The aim of the Harambee BRT is to primarily connect the nine towns that make up Ekurhuleni, in a bid to overcome the problems created by apartheid spatial planning.
“After numerous delays, it appears that the system is finally going to be rolled-out by the municipality,” he said.
“I was pleased when informed that the City will expand the Harambee services to various townships and new routes will be introduced during the new term. The system will be a combination of dedicated bus lanes and complementary feeder roads with median stations. It will be managed through a dedicated Transport Command Centre in Spartan.
“Most of the residents of Ekurhuleni have insufficient access to safe and reliable public transport as many of them are subjected to walking long distances to and from work. Others are forced to use unsafe public transport.
“It is for this reason that we are pushing for this system to be carried out swiftly because Harambee will see the improvement of the City’s public transport and the enhancement of residents’ quality of life,” according to Jordaan.
