ETHEKWINI will take over the running of Durban’s ailing municipal bus service. The decision was unanimously agreed to at a special sitting of full council on 13 August. The bus service, which is currently run by private company, Tansnat and has been plagued by strikes and stoppages, will be managed as a separate municipal entity similar to the Chief Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre and uShaka Marine World.
A second recommendation accepted at council regarding the bus service was that City Manager Sibusiso Sithole be authorised to invoke provisions of Section 84 of the Municipal Finance Management Act and ensure compliance.
The Act outlines the establishment and the financial governance of a municipal entity and what processes are to be followed.
The bus service was sold to Remant Alton Land Transport in 2003. In 2009, the company pulled out of running the bus service and the city forked out an additional R405 million to keep the operation running, under Tansnat Durban. That too has run into difficulties forcing the city to dip into its coffers to keep the service operational.
Deputy Mayor Councillor Nomvuzo Shabalala welcomed the decision and said all due processes were followed in reaching this decision.
“We did not short circuit the process to correct what has happened in the past. Necessary steps taken were community consultation and then labour consultation. These two play a critical role in dealing with the issue as we were not dealing with just the physical buses,” she said.
The Deputy-Mayor said there were three possible solutions to the bus issue, but creating a separate municipal entity was the best option.
The other options included relooking at the issue of privatisation of the bus service or creating a department within the municipality to run the buses.
“Creating an entity was the best option as we would still be able to obtain subsidies from the Provincial and National Government for the service. Officials must continue working towards forming the entity,” she said.
Mayor Councillor James Nxumalo said the purpose of forming the entity was to strengthen the bus service in communities where the service was poor or non-existent.”This decision will ensure that the bus service is efficient for all people in eThekwini,” he said.
