The City of Cape Town is upset that Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga claimed there was no intention to devolve control of the province’s railroad services.
Also read: Cape Town to approach new transport minister for urgent clarity on rail devolution
Chikunga stated in an interview on Tuesday that the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa was expanding its capacity in the Western Cape because there was no process in place to devolve railway services.
Devolution was included in the rail policy, but the minister added that there were some restrictions.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has been urged by the mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, to be transparent about whether the national government intends to abandon plans to transfer passenger rail to capable metros.
‘Minister Chikunga’s anti-devolution comments are working against everything we are trying to achieve. Her comments echo the sentiments of other prominent members of President Ramaphosa’s Cabinet, in direct contradiction of its own approved White Paper on Rail Policy,’ he said, adding that lower-income households were suffering because they were being denied the basic right of access to the most affordable and efficient mode of transport, namely an efficient and reliable passenger rail service.
Cape {town} Etc discount: Enjoy a coastal farmstead experience for two in Langebaan for R4 920. Get it here.
‘A collapsed rail service hits the poorest hardest, but we can turn this decline around.’
‘All that is required is political will from national government to work with the City. Lower-income households will save up to R932 million per year with an efficient passenger rail service in Cape Town.’
The City has been pushing for control of the metro’s rail operations.
Rob Quintas, a member of the mayoral committee for urban mobility, stated that they were eager to collaborate with national counterparts to re-establish a successful passenger rail service in Cape Town.
‘I again invite Minister Chikunga to set aside narrow political interests and to meet with me, so that we can forge a way forward that is to the benefit of our lower-income communities,’ he said.
Also read:
Picture: GroundUp/ Tariro Washinyira