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ActionSA leader and Johannesburg mayoral candidate Herman Mashaba has levelled sharp criticism at the city’s Rea Vaya bus service, blaming roads and transport MMC Kenny Kunene for its “failure”.
On Wednesday Mashaba conducted an oversight visit of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, travelling from the Johannesburg CBD to Sandton. He was accompanied by party councillors serving on the city’s transport committee.
Mashaba said the visit was intended to measure the service’s effectiveness and its effect on commuters.
“The objective of the oversight was to establish the frequency and promptness of buses, assess commuter uptake in comparison to bus capacity, and determine affordability for residents who are already under financial strain,” he said.
During the trip from Library Gardens Station eastbound to Sandton Station, Mashaba noted several systemic failures, highlighting the difficulties commuters face when trying to purchase and load commuter cards: “Buses are running empty on various routes, the system for commuters to purchase cards and load funds was not working, and there’s no provision for disabled persons to use buses.”
Mashaba added that their commute was delayed by over an hour due to card-purchasing issues. He said at one point they were redirected to a different station on Rissik Street to acquire cards and load funds.
The ANC-led coalition, under the leadership of PA transport MMC Kenny Kunene, has failed spectacularly. What is apparent is that the City of Johannesburg, through the Johannesburg Development Agency, has failed to deliver an efficient public transport system despite a R16.8bn infrastructure investment funded by national government grants
— Herman Mashaba, ActionSA leader and Joburg mayoral candidate
Such inconveniences force residents to abandon the BRT for more expensive transport alternatives, he said. “This highlights a multitude of inefficiencies that frustrate residents. As a result, they opt for costly taxi transportation, which places them under further financial strain.”
Launched in 2009, Rea Vaya was designed as a modern solution for Johannesburg, featuring dedicated lanes, specialised stations and a smart-card system connecting Soweto to the rest of the city.
The Sunday Times previously reported that the government has admitted the BRT programme has failed after spending more than R80bn over two decades.
Mashaba believes the current administration has squandered its potential. “The ANC-led coalition, under the leadership of PA transport member of the mayoral committee (MMC) Kenny Kunene, has failed spectacularly,” he said.
“What is apparent is that the City of Johannesburg, through the Johannesburg Development Agency, has failed to deliver an efficient public transport system despite a R16.8bn infrastructure investment funded by national government grants.”
He labelled the situation a clear example of mismanaged taxpayer funds and wasteful expenditure.
Mashaba emphasised that reliable public transport is a critical pillar for the city’s economy and the livelihoods of its residents. “Without a Joburg that is working, the country will buckle under such pressures,” he said.
ActionSA could save the city from declining and fix “a broken Joburg that has long been neglected and forgotten by its supposed leaders”, he added.
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