TRANSPORT analysts have hailed as a victory for the poor the promulgation of laws that will assist in regulating prices for public transportation, including prices for e-hailing, and also give certain powers to provinces and municipalities to conclude contracts for public transport services.
This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the National Land Transport Amendment Bill and the Economic Regulation of Transport Bill on Tuesday after he had referred them back to the National Assembly for reconsideration in 2020.
The revised National Land Transport Bill seeks to amend the act to insert certain definitions and amend others and provide for non-motorised and accessible transport.
“The amendments bring the Principal Act up to date with new developments and provide for certain powers of provinces and municipalities to conclude contracts for public transport services,” said the Presidency.
“It further expands the powers of the Minister to make regulations and introduce safety measures.”
Meanwhile, the Economic Regulation of Transport Bill seeks to promote economic growth and the welfare of South Africans by promoting an effective and productive transport sector.
“That includes establishing a Transport Economic Regulator responsible for regulating prices in the transport sector, investigate complaints, and monitor and enforce compliance in the transport sector,” the Presidency said.
“The Bill further seeks to establish a single regulatory body to focus on the economic regulation of the transport industry.”
Bongiwe Gune, an assistant lecturer for transport and logistics at the University of Zululand-Richards Bay Campus, yesterday said the majority of South Africans depended on the taxi industry for public transport, which was mostly privately owned.
“Transport costs for most of the passengers, especially from the rural areas and/or townships, are relatively high and make up a high percentage of their monthly expenses,” Gune said.
She said municipalities with great pedestrian areas were safer to live in, and street designs provided economic growth and productive opportunities.
“Therefore, the revised bill is exactly what the majority of underprivileged South Africans need,” Gune said.
“The initiative to expand the infrastructure for non-motorised transport (pedestrians, bicycles, etc), will encourage South Africans to use bicycles or walk either to work or nearby stations instead of taking their private owned vehicles. This will also help to reduce air pollution.”
Gune said the development of the Bus Rapid Transit System was a great example, which she believed could benefit other regions as well.
“Giving more authority to government authorities will also help in the safety of our people, by reducing the number of accidents that occur in the road, the long traffics and the ongoing taxi riots, due to ‘imzila’.
“The Economic Regulation of Transport Bill will assist in regulating prices. I am from the township and I have experienced that the private owned transport businesses increase their prices whenever the fuel price rises.”
However, Gune said she believed that both the owners and passengers should reach an equilibrium where one could afford to pay and the other could still afford to run the business without any loss.
“And that is exactly where the Economic Regulation of Transport Bill comes in handy.”
Matthew Parks, Cosatu’s Parliamentary co-ordinator, said they welcomed the president's signing of both transportation bills which would play an important role in enhancing public transportation.
“Key part of the two acts is the regulation of e-platform transport providers, for example Uber, and Bolt. This is important to ensuring this growing sector is regulated, held accountable and enabled to operate,” Parks said.
“They will also expand the powers of provincially and local government to invest in and provide public transport. This can benefit from local communities where little public transport exists.”
Parks added that while welcoming their objectives, it would be critical to ensure that provincially the location of the government was sufficiently capacitated to implement them.
BUSINESS REPORT