Ekurhuleni executive mayor, Clr Mondli Gungubele, and members of the mayoral committee led by example when they took trains to work to celebrate Car Free Day, on Monday, October 21.
Members of the mayoral committee, which included Clr Phelisa Nkunjana, Clr Bennett Nikani, Clr Mthuthuzeli Siboza, Clr Zeni Tshongweni and Clr Thumbu Mahlangu, used various means of public transport to get to work.
The Car Free Day forms part of the annual Transport Month, and seeks to promote the use of public transport amongst the members of the community, as well as raising awareness on the role public transport plays in growing the economy and highlight challenges faced in transforming public transport.
The metro is in the advance stages of launching a Bus Rapid Transport System (BRT) in order to make the use of public transport within the metro more user-friendly, convenient and cost-effective.
On their arrival at the Germiston Railway Station, the mayor admitted that, “in order to work, the introduced Integrated Rapid Transport System must be fast tracked.
“Only seven per cent of commuters use trains, regardless of their cost-effectiveness, and this shows that the current public transport system is not responding to the needs of the people,” he said.
“It is crucial that we create an Integrated Public Transport System, working with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and other stakeholders, so as to provide our commuters with seamless means of public transport,” Clr Gungubele added.
The mayor and his committee, lastly, used bicycles to reach to their offices at the Germiston Civic Centre.
