The City of Ekurhuleni introduced people living with disabilities to the new Harambee bus infrastructure on March 7.
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality spokesperson Themba Gadebe said comfortability, safety and reliability are what characterises the BRT buses and the dedicated routes on the 1st phase of the Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network (IRPTN).
On the day, T-Shad members and other people living with disabilities boarded the BRT buses at RTJ Namane Drive in Tembisa to test the buses’ readiness to accommodate wheelchair-bound, blind and deaf passengers.
MMC for Transport and Planning Clr Petrus Mabunda led the demonstration and feedback session that followed in terms of the Universal Design Access Plan (UDAP).
Mabunda said people living with a disability were introduced to the system so that they can start using the buses.
“Historically you would have a situation where people living with a disability had no access to public transport in the city.
“It became difficult for them to partake in economic activities and any other social activities.
“They wouldn’t have an opportunity to go to work, visit relatives or do any other thing that a person would usually want to do without the assistance of other people, but with the newly built infrastructure, we are making it easier for them to start living normal lives.
“They can now use a bus, go to the mall, watch a movie and get back home.
“The intention is to create awareness that the buses are here and have the infrastructure,” said Mabunda.
He added that above all, the city wanted people living with disabilities to contribute as to what else needs to be added to the IRPTN system to accommodate them.
He said they are in talks with taxi owners to ensure that even the vehicles that will be operating on feeder routes will have to conform to the UDAP system by being accessible to people living with disabilities.
“We don’t want a situation where our buses are universally accessible but the taxi operators that are supposed to be the feeders to the system have less or inadequate accessibility to people living with disabilities.
“Out of this process all of us, with the taxi industry and people living with disabilities are putting our heads together to look into how best we can move the City of Ekurhuleni forward.”
Amanda Gibberd from the national Department of Transport said there is an improvement in the public transport and the City of Ekurhuleni is moving in the right direction.
“As South Africa we have signed the United Nation’s sustainable development goals, which says that all cities should be accessible to everyone, so that’s the direction that we are supposed to be moving in and we have always been moving in that direction because it is in line with what the constitution already says,” mentioned Gibberd.
Wheelchair bound motivational speaker Nonhlanhla Bakasa said she had a great day at the UDAP workshop where she learned about the Harambee bus routes and how the system works.
“The system makes sure that each and every person who lives in Ekurhuleni is able to use that bus,” said Bakasa.
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