Phase 1 of BRT Harambee system implemented

The City of Ekurhuleni’s much anticipated Phase 1 implementation of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) #Harambee system is complete.

Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina (left) together with the City’s senior officials and the Ekurhuleni Taxi Industry stakeholders on board in one of the Harambee buses during the BRT systems and route tests at the beginning of the year.

This included the testing of the buses and route between Kempton Park and Tembisa.

It is envisioned that the entire network will include a route running from Tembisa through to Boksburg down to Vosloorus. The full network plan, implemented over a number of phases and routes, will be implemented over a number of years.

Mayor Mzwandile Masina together with the MMC of Transport, Clr Petrus Mabunda, were on February 8 joined during the phase 1 implementation by major stakeholders in the City of Ekurhuleni, such as South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) and the National Taxi Association (NTA).

The proposed intergrated rapid public transport network plan will run from Tembisa through Boksburg to Vosloorus.

Masina stated that many lessons can be drawn from the other cities regarding their implementation of the system.

The mayor said that the testing of the BRT system will commence with eight buses. A total of R800 million has been invested in the infrastructure of the project.

Peter Mashego of SANTACO said the association welcomes this initiative.

“As the association, we are not here to compete with the BRT system to but to complement and to ensure full cooperation for the benefit of the people of Ekurhuleni,” he said.

The next stage of the implementation will commence in the operation of 40 buses in the area of Tembisa and Kempton Park.