Cape Town - The City of Cape Town has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to wisely choose a dynamic new transport minister who will succeed Fikile Mbalula to lead a reliable and safe passenger rail system.
Mbalula was elected ANC secretary-general on December 19.
Mayco member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, said it was a “critical vacancy” and one that demanded a forward-thinking and solutions-driven individual who was committed to leading the process of rail reform to restore decades of maladministration under the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).
He said the efficient movement of people and goods was central to restoring and igniting economic growth, and there was no time to waste.
The City was still hoping to take over the rail system in the province and has sent requests for responsibility for commuter rail to be devolved from the national government.
The law provides for commuter rail to be devolved to municipal level.
“The City’s Rail Feasibility Study aimed at guiding the administration on the risks, financial implications, and time frames involved for taking over the management of passenger rail from Prasa is well under way. We are determined to finalise this study in the shortest possible time, but unfortunately, we have not seen the same sense of urgency from our partner in the national government.
“Calls on the outgoing national minister of transport, Fikile Mbalula, to convene a working group to run concurrently with the feasibility study have fallen on deaf ears. This is extremely disappointing as we need to work closely with national government to see this process to fruition,” said Quintas.
He said rail reform, as envisaged by White Paper on National Rail Policy that was approved in May 2022, should be a top-priority for the new transport minister.
Cape Times