South Africa does have the expertise needed to make the transport system work, so use it
9 July 2019
South Africa does indeed have the expertise needed to make its public transport system work. The government must stop ignoring these people and must start cooperating with them and must make use of their skills and knowledge. Then the country will be successful.
Other countries have modern, punctual transport systems that were built and are being maintained by, among others, South African engineers who are not welcome to work in their own country due to Affirmative Action (AA). This is senseless. South Africans must join hands in the interest of the country and its people.
A transport system is the lifeblood of a country's economy. Without it, the economy cannot grow. A good example is a country like Singapore that has one of the most modern transport systems in the world. It is reflected in its modern and strong economy.
Apart from expertise, two major reasons why South Africa's transport system is struggling are discipline and crime. The great number of incidences in the Western Cape in which trains were torched serve as proof that policing must drastically be improved.
Not everyone is happy with the number of taxis on our country's roads, but the truth of the matter is that there would be no functioning public transport system without them.
Urbanisation is a reality and it is estimated that 70% of all South Africans will live in and around cities in the foreseeable future. And 70% of these people do not have their own means of transport.
The informal settlements around cities are bound to grow and that means that people will be living further away from the city as the settlements expand according to spatial constraints. Thus, a good public transport system is of the utmost importance.
There are solutions for the problem and we already have the necessary expertise in the country. So use it. Let us work for each other and not against each other. Then South Africa will be successful.
Issued by Piet Mey, FF Plus MP and chief spokesperson: Transport, 9 July 2019
