CAPE TOWN - Thousands of commuters from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha will be able to board MyCiTi buses from next month, if all goes according to plan.
This after the City signed a new operating contract with the N2 Company, equally owned by Lisekhonikamva (Codeta) from Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain Rapid Transit (Route Six from Mitchells Plain) and Golden Arrow Bus Services (Gabs).
The contract will see more than 6 000 commuters from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha benefit from the N2 Express service once the buses are back on the road in February and if all goes as planned, the City said.
Mayco member for transport Rob Quintas said now that they have signed the operating contract, a fleet of 34 buses, a combination of 12-metre low-floor buses and 18m low-floor buses, will be serviced and prepared for operations.
Additionally, bus drivers will be recruited and trained.
“My vision for urban mobility is that commuters in Cape Town should have a wide range of choices in how they access opportunities. The imminent return of the N2 Express service is a vital addition to our public transport offering. Given the implosion of passenger rail commuters from the metro south east need reliable public transport services now more than ever,” Quintas said.
The service was suspended in 2019.
Codeta spokesperson Andile Khanyi confirmed the agreement.
“We have agreed and signed the contract with the City last week. We don’t know the date yet, but the buses are going to come back again,” Khanyi said.
Khayelitsha Development Forum (KDF) chairperson Ndithini Tyhido said they welcomed the development which will provide residents with safe, reliable and affordable transportation.
“We are hoping that the reintroduction of the service will benefit our local permit holders in terms of the agreement.”
Cape Town mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomed the return of the N2 Express service.
“Cape Town has a prosperous future and it includes all of us. We need our economy to grow so that we can create more jobs, and improve the lives of all who call this city their home. This is a good news moment on that journey,” he said.
The City’s Transport Directorate is assessing all of the bus shelters along the four routes in Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha for urgent maintenance and repairs.
“Sadly, many of the shelters have been vandalised or stripped by thieves during the time that the service was suspended. Given the extent of the vandalism most of the shelters will still be in a state of disrepair by the time the N2 Express operates, but I can assure commuters that we are working around the clock to get this sorted,’ said Quintas.
Cape Times