However, BTA chairman Jafta Ndlovu said the system should be implemented to benefit all parties concerned.
The City of Ekurhuleni plans to roll out the system in 2016.
Ndlovu said they can’t stand in its way, but recommended that it should not be implemented the way it was done in Soweto, where people ended up losing their lives.
“We want a situation where nobody feels left out,” he said.
He said the shootings in Soweto were caused by people who felt betrayed by the system, hence, “we feel it should planned to accommodate everybody at the same time, to avoid unnecessary things”.
The chairman added that the association objected to some of the contractual clauses and requested that the government rectify them.
The implementation of BRT in Soweto and the Johannesburg area in the last few years angered some taxi associations, who were arguing that the system would put them out of business.
This was followed by incidents where gunmen opened fire on Rea Vaya, wounding passengers and drivers in the process.
Ekurhuleni promises taxi operators that there will be no loss of legitimate jobs when it rolls out its BRT.
The metro made this commitment in a two-day meeting involving all public transport operators from the city, held recently, in Muldersdrift.
Head of Ekurhuleni’s transport planning and provision department Yolisa Mashilwane said the jobs in the new system will be permanent and comply with labour legislation with respect to conditions of service, boasting benefits such as regular salaries, leave and sick leave, among others.
Mashilwane said the BRT system is not only going to address current challenges such as households spending more on public transport , lack of co-operative and coordinated public transport and lengthy travel times but it will also address the scourge of unemployment.
The jobs will range from cleaning and bus drivers to and management, among others.
This, Mashilwane said, excludes jobs to be created when the BRT infrastructure is developed.
The municipality has committed to advancing negotiations aimed at giving the current public transport operators an opportunity to participate in operating the BRT service, as the shareholders of the new Bus Operating Company (BOC).
“In return, the affected operators will be required to withdraw vehicles which compete with the BRT routes from service,” Mashilwane said.
She explained that the withdrawal of vehicles is necessary, because shareholders do not operate vehicles in competition with their own BRT operation, and also to ensure that BRT fare revenue is sufficient to cover the cost of the BRT operation.
The city urged public operators to view the change as a win-win situation for all stakeholders involved, including the public transport users.
She added that the current public operators will be given training to run a professional bus service as shareholders.
It is envisaged that construction of the bus routes as part of phase one of the project will commence from mid-2014, and the first bus will start operating by early 2016.
