Operator licenses finally issued for Metro's new bus transport system

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Eastern Cape Transport MEC, Thandiswa Marawu, says operator licenses have been issued for 19 of the 25 busses procurred by Nelson Mandela Bay for its integrated transport system.

Speaking at City Hall on Friday, Marawu says the remaining operator licenses will be issued once the six busses receive certificates of fitness.

An excited MEC said the first of the busses will be used to transport football fans attending the first matches of the Orange African Cup of Nations when the tournament kicks off in the Metro on Sunday.

Marawu says the pilot phase of the Integrated Public Transport System will be run by a joint venture company, Transbay, established between the Algoa Bus Company and the Metro's taxi industry.

"Today we are unveiling another milestone in the history of public transport in South Africa especially in this region" Marawu said.

Meanwhile, Ayanda Madwara, representing the taxi industry in the join venture, says they are behind the project in spite of ongoing challenges.

He told Algoa FM News that there had been some resistance because the taxi industry has been rooted in an informal setting.

" We are transforming from informal to formal city and therefore there would be as you would expect that there will be some challenges. We are there to address those challenges, we dont just shelve them but we are and we have got the capacity to deal with these challenges" Madwara said.