Cosatu goes into reverse on MyCiTi complaint

27 March 2015 - 02:01 By Philani Nombembe

Cosatu has backed down on its Equality Court complaint that the City of Cape Town is prioritising MyCiTi buses for wealthy suburbs while giving Cape Flats residents inferior service. The city's integrated rapid transit system, meant to improve the transport system and ease traffic congestion, was launched in Table View in 2011 and later rolled out to Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain.In December, Cosatu lodged a complaint in the Equality Court, claiming that the level of service on the Cape Flats was substandard, with incomplete bus stations and overcrowding.The matter was due to be heard yesterday but the labour union federation withdrew the complaint. Western Cape Cosatu head Tony Ehrenreich said the organisation had reached an understanding with the city council."We note that the service to the different areas is clearly not equal at the moment, but the promise and intent to achieve this exists," he said."We further note that the delay in achieving this equality is dependent on service providers and national government funding. Cosatu is willing to join the city in its appeal to national government for urgent funds to speed up this service delivery."Brett Herron, the mayoral committee member for transport, welcomed Cosatu's decision but said the city had spent R371000 on litigation."The withdrawal follows numerous time-consuming meetings at court to defend this costly and vexatious litigation," he said."It was evident right from the start that Cosatu's complaint... was unfounded."..

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