South Africa to fast-track rapid bus transit system
September 6th, 2009 - 6:43 pm ICT by IANSMidrand (South Africa), Sep 6 (IANS) The South African government is fast-tracking the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system negotiation process with the taxi industry, BUaNews reported Sunday.
“The negotiation process will continue. The city of Johannesburg will be assisted to resolve issues around representation on the part of the taxi industry so that negotiations at local level can be fast-tracked,” said Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele Friday.
This follows a National Joint Working Group (NJWG) meeting with the taxi industry and civil society in Pretoria Thursday.
The BRT system buses had began operating in Soweto and Johannesburg Monday, amid heavy police presence.
The minister also reassured the public that the taxi industry had agreed not to resort to violence.
The assurance follows an incident in which two BRT buses were attacked Tuesday night and one civilian and a police officer were wounded when occupants of a minibus taxi apparently opened fire on the buses.
The minister said he has been assured by Police Commissioner Bheki Cele that the South African Police Services were working around the clock to ensure that those responsible are brought to book.
“Such attacks cannot be allowed to continue. The BRT is not about government or the taxi industry, it’s about the commuter,” he added.
- Gunmen target Johannesburg's BRT service - Sep 02, 2009
- 30 people killed in head-on collision in South Africa - Dec 11, 2011
- Indian-origin political leader dies in South Africa - Dec 31, 2011
- S. African police chief knows why Brit-Indian honeymooner planned to kill his wife - Jan 19, 2011
- South Africa uses metro to carry waste to landfills - Nov 06, 2011
- Johannesburg launches new public bus service - Aug 31, 2009
- Police chief praises World Cup security - Jul 11, 2010
- SA police chief who called Brit-Indian honeymooner 'a monkey' calls himself "legally illiterate" - Jan 28, 2011
- World Cup replicas stolen in South Africa - Jun 30, 2010
- For South Africa, Delhi trade fair is road to global market - Nov 15, 2011
- Brit-Indian honeymooner denies link to 2007 killing in South Africa - Dec 12, 2010
- Murder rate drops in South Africa - Sep 10, 2011
- Most wanted South African criminal arrested - May 14, 2011
- South Africa wants more women, blacks as judges - Apr 28, 2011
- Amnesty for South Africans surrendering firearms - Jan 12, 2010
Tags: bus rapid transit, bus transit, cele, city of johannesburg, joint working group, minibus taxi, negotiation process, occupants, police commissioner, police presence, pretoria, sbu ndebele, south african government, south african police, south african police services, soweto, system buses, taxi industry, transit system, transport minister