Mbalula cautions Reya Vaya to shape up

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has reportedly cautioned the Reya Vaya bus service officials to pull up their socks in terms of maintaining crucial social distancing measures, as well as, enforcing stricter health measures for passengers using the bus service.

The state of one of the biggest commuter transport systems has received heavy criticism from Mbalula who threatened to shut down the bus service should it not up its game.

The bus service receives a massive influx of people every morning during peak hours of 6am to 9am.

The minister while out to assess the bus system in Thokoza Park, Soweto said he noted the efforts made by the bus system to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Mbalula said that from sanitation gateways, to sanitising commuters’ bodies before a commute, to the temperature screening systems, this was the new normal as the country paddles towards opening up the economy.

The new adherence regulations include ensuring that bus terminals have temperature scanners and that social distancing is maintained in and out of the busses.

Looking at the preparedness of the bus system, he said it was now law that commuters had to leave their houses wearing masks and that a Reya Vaya bus must only have a 70% capacity.

(Compiled by Gopolang Moloko)

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