A proposal for free bus transport for the elderly and persons with disabilities during off-peak times was recently unanimously supported in council.
This motion was tabled by Devanand Maharaj from Congress of the People (Cope) and seconded by the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Victor Penning.
Speaker of Council Vasco Da Gama said Maharaj believed that enhancing the mobility of pensioners and persons with disabilities will improve their access to basic services and economic opportunities.
“It will also improve their overall well-being in the City of Johannesburg. He is pleading with the transport sector and other stakeholders to partner with the City to roll out free off-peak transportation for pensioners and people with disabilities,” Da Gama said.
MMC for Transport, Nonhlanhla Makhuba, amended the motion and recommended that council make a budget available for the implementation.
She further amended the motion with recommendations that the City initiate a progressive realisation of exemption of pensioners and persons with disabilities on Metrobus and Rea Vaya buses by launching a pilot project in the 2018/19 financial year.
“The results of the pilot project, along with the lessons derived from it are to be brought back to council for information purposes,” she said.
Her final amendment was that the actual rollout of the exemptions begins in the 2019/20 financial year.
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