City of Johannesburg transport MMC Kenny Kunene has come out guns blazing over the continued suspension of feeder bus services, primarily affecting Soweto commuters.
He placed the blame at the doorstep of Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero, whom he alleged took a unilateral decision against technical advice to suspend the Rea Vaya feeder bus services in Soweto.
Morero has disputed the claims, describing them as misleading and questioning Kunene’s motives in going public before raising his concerns through internal channels.
Kunene, who launched 45 Rea Vaya buses in 2025, said the mayor’s decision to suspend the feeder services carried operational, financial and legal risks.
He claimed that the views of his office as well as the opinions of technical officials had been superseded by the suspension.
Kunene pointed to the bus operating company agreement, which requires the city to pay operators even when no buses are operating.
“The city bears these expenses, which directly affects public finances, service efficiency and value for money, while the arrangement was never intended for [a] prolonged service [stoppage],” Kunene said.
He had raised the issue with the National Treasury and the national transport department, which had confirmed that feeder services were a legislated component of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and not discretionary.
“The non-operation of the feeder buses during this period is not attributable to the MMC or his office,” Kunene said.
Morero has dismissed Kunene’s claims, insisting the decision to suspend the services was not taken without consultation or informed by technical advice.
He said he had written to Kunene asking him to back up his allegations and explain why he did not raise his concerns through internal channels before going public.
“Members of the mayoral committee are bound by the principle of collective responsibility, and matters of this nature should first be addressed through established executive governance processes before being aired publicly,” Morero said.
Kunene insisted that his office had acted lawfully at all times and characterised the suspension of the feeder services as a political decision.
TimesLIVE
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