Little improvement at bus depots near Steelpoort
The DA in Limpopo is concerned that passengers are left stranded.
According to the party, the gap in subsidised transport left by the Great North Transport (GNT). GNT affects poor communities who cannot afford other means of transport. This is because most of the GNT depots are understaffed and under-resourced.
During the past week, DA’s Katlego Suzan Phala conducted oversights to eight bus depots of the GNT in Limpopo.
Phala said the visits follow the state-owned bus company’s reported failures to arrive on time and leaving passengers stranded.
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“Our calls for joint oversight visits fell on deaf ears on Limpopo Economic Development Environment and Tourism (Ledet). Oversights were conducted to eight depots in the five districts to ensure access to areas with economic activities, healthcare, grant pay points and education.”
She said most of the depots are understaffed and under-resourced to provide logistical and mechanical support to the dwindling fleet.
“The Papedi bus depot in Driekop has no mechanic and during our oversight, the assistant mechanic was on leave. Most bus depots have vacancies for bus inspectors and the Tzaneen depot has been without a bus inspector for two years due to a lack of funds. At most of the depots, where inspectors are employed, there are no ancillary vehicles to perform their duties outside the depots,” said Phala.
Ancillary vehicles are important to depots as they are utilised by mechanics to attend to bus breakdowns.
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Phala said mechanics now utilise private vehicles to perform these functions.
“It is clear that the turnaround strategy was ill-conceived as rural bus depots are now under-resourced and have critical vacancies which diminish their services.
“The gap in subsidised transport left by GNT affects poor communities who cannot afford other means of transport,” Phala said. She requested the Limpopo government to intervene.
Steelburger/Lydenburg News forwarded queries to the Ledet spokesperson, Zaid Kalla. At the time of going to press, the department was yet to respond.
