Johannesburg expands accessible bus travel for pensioners and residents living with disabilities

For pensioners and people living with disabilities, mobility around the city can be a challenge.

Trips to shopping malls for groceries, collecting medication and general travel often bring the hassle of affording transportation and taking part in everyday life without fully depending on caregivers.

In commemoration of transport month in October, Movements of Residents Party founder Devanand Jay Maharaj urges both people living with disabilities and pensioners to make use of the service designed for them.

Read more: More routes for Rea Vaya

To make travelling around the city more efficient and accessible, the City of Johannesburg introduced a project initiated by former Congress of the People (Cope) councillor Maharaj in April 2018. Through this initiative, pensioners and people living with disabilities gain access to free rides on Metrobus and Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses within the city. Following amendments made to the motion and initiative by Transport Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) Nonhlanhla Makhuba, the project was fully implemented at the beginning of the 2019/20 financial year and continues to operate.

Maharaj shared that the initiative was vital to him as he strives to give a voice to often-forgotten groups. “People aren’t born pensioners and some succumb to injuries as a result of bad accidents. They work all their lives, paying taxes but don’t get anything in return. They sometimes even get their grant stopped when they get older. I want all the beneficiaries to know that they are considered and valued,” he said.

To apply, qualifying beneficiaries can visit their nearest customer care centres and register using a South African ID copy, a Sassa card for pensioners, or proof of disability or a letter of authority from a doctor.

After registering, a once-off fee of R30 is paid for a smartcard, where 20 free trips are loaded monthly. This service is offered during off-peak hours from 08:30 to 15:00 on weekdays, and all day on weekends and public holidays.

The buses operate from some major parts in Soweto to the Johannesburg CBD, Parktown, Yeoville, Newlands, Cresta and Florida. The city launched Rea Vaya BRT phase 1C that brings safe, affordable and reliable transport to the residents of Berea, Yeoville, Orange Grove, Scholtzdale, Norwood, Balfour Park, Bramley, Wynberg, Alexandra, Marlboro, Atholl, Sandton, Longmeadow and Greenstone. The Rea Vaya BRT trunk route will operate from the Johannesburg CBD to Alexandra and Sandton.

Maharaj hopes to see the initiative expand beyond buses to include airplanes, other cities, and round-the-clock availability. “I want to push for the service to be 24/7 and not just off-peak hours so that they have the freedom to visit their friends and family, travel with their groceries and do much more beyond being constricted to just off-peak hours. Most people living with disabilities haven’t been on a plane or know what the inside of a plane looks like. Everyone should have a fair opportunity,” he said.

According to the city’s transport department, since the service’s implementation approximately 10 000 pensioners and persons with disabilities have registered for the service. This transport month, under the theme: Working together through public/private partnerships, this year’s campaign coincides with the country’s 32 years of democracy and aims at ensuring robust service delivery across various forms of transportation.

Also read: Rea Vaya live on Google Maps

The city is proud to have completed three Rea Vaya phases (1A, 1B, and 1C (a)) that create route connectivity and accessibility for passengers travelling from some major parts in Soweto to the Johannesburg CBD, Alexandra, Greenstone and Sandton, creating a total of 63 Rea Vaya stations, two depots located in Dobsonville, Meadowlands and Selby, customer care centres, Watt Interchange in Pan Africa and the Indingilizi Transport Interchange.

According to the city, Rea Vaya phase 1A and 1B operate predominantly from Soweto to the Johannesburg CBD, while 1C (a) operates from the Johannesburg CBD to Alexandra and Sandton. Phase 1C (a) will be extended to Greenstone to connect with the Ekurhuleni BRT.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!