Physically impaired not to receive any concession on A Re Yeng
The absence of concession fares for disabled people using the city's new rapid bus transport system has been sharply criticised.
The absence of concession fares for disabled people using the city’s new rapid bus transport system has been sharply criticised.
“It is clear that we will have to deal with a definite inconsistency as there is a 50% concession for disabled people with the Tshwane bus service, but no concession of any nature with the A Re Yeng currently,” said councillor Hentie Nortje, who is blind, at the latest council meeting.
He said in a report which served before the council provision had been made for future concessions for scholars and pensioners, but not for students or disabled people.
The report stated there would be no special discount for university students or disabled people because administering such concessions was extremely difficult.
Nortje said: “I find that excuse pathetic. Somebody apparently never heard of medical certificates or registration cards at universities.”
He said where the report dealt with concessional discount it only referred to scholars, infants and pensioners. No provision was made for any concession discount for students or the disabled. This amounted to discrimination against students and disabled people.
The council argued that discount for students has already been worked into the low fare of the A Re Yeng.
Nortje disagreed.
“The ruling party in this house does not respect the Constitution of our country, nor the disabled citizens of the capital, nor the students,” he said.
“I want to say to the ANC today: ‘Sit back guys, relax and enjoy the ride in the new buses but remember, we the disabled and the students of the city together with the Democratic Alliance will not grant you any concessions during the elections of 2016. As a matter of fact we will make you pay for this blatant discrimination.”
Nortje suggested that the report on the matter be referred to the metro’s roads and transport oversight committee to review the issue of concessions.
Mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa said when the report was presented to the mayoral committee, he championed the idea of concessions to blind and disabled people.
When he consulted concerned parties, including the leadership of people living with disabilities, he was told that concessions would be regarded as discriminatory.
“The leadership in writing objected to any concessions because they maintained that is discriminating. As to the argument about the difficulty managing concessions, I think the reason should not be about the administration of the process being problematic, but because of the stated objections from organised people living with disabilities and the issue about university students already receiving built-in discounts,” the mayor said.
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