Metrobus and City of Johannesburg unveil 105 refurbished buses

A fresh start aims to link dreams with the rewards of ambition.

Metrobus officials and City of Johannesburg (CoJ) dignitaries brought out the giant scissors to unveil the shiny new people carriers. Three years ago, the CoJ embarked on a R49 million project to rejuvenate the Metrobus fleet and on July 13 the fruits of that investment were exhibited. With a target of refurbishing 100 buses, service providers delivered on time and within budget, even being able to squeeze in a few extras, bringing the total to 105.

Metrobus chairperson Pamla Yongama, and managing director Xoliswa Mhlongo addressed the crowd gathered in the service bays of the President Road depot. The pair spoke of their commitment to providing a reliable, safe and affordable means for residents to access the opportunities and amenities within the city. “We don’t just drive buses, we drive the economy,” was the mantra repeated by Metrobus’ two female leaders.

Johannesburg’s First Citizen, Executive Mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse was welcomed to the speakers podium with wild applause. Mayor Phalatse recalled how public transport was part of her childhood and stressed that without it the most vulnerable of the city’s citizens are left stranded. “I would like to thank Metrobus for a job well done and congratulate them for being visible on all 226 different routes in the city of Johannesburg,” she said.

MMC for Transport, Funzela Ngobeni and chairperson of the Section 79 Transport Committee, Wendy Alexander, accompanied their mayor to the presentation. Thanking the Metrobus executives, Ngobeni said, “As a multiparty government we aim to provide the necessary support to the management and the board in our endeavours to achieve our turnaround strategy”. Noting this was just the start, she added, “Refurbishments must not be confused with getting new buses. As much as we work to get them refurbished, we must work at getting new buses.”

The refurbishments include repairs and respraying the chassis and exteriors, overhauling the engines and gearboxes, as well as installing new seats, doors, floorboards and windows where applicable. The refurbished buses are essentially the old skeletons with new muscle and skin, and of the 105 buses given a fresh start, six of them were saved from the brink of being scrapped.

The handover served as a reiteration of the CoJ’s ‘Golden Start’, and Mayor Phalatse noted how the refurbishment addressed every one of the seven principles her multi-party coalition strives for. Getting the basics right, establishing a well-run city with smart infrastructure, something that will be aided by an automated fare-collection system to be added soon, were all boxes ticked by the completion of this project.

The buses in the Metrobus fleet have an estimated life cycle of 12 years and a second phase of refurbishments will now begin. Costing R90 million, the upcoming phase will focus on newer seven-year-old models with the aim of prolonging their time on the roads. Having a world-class fleet is something to proud of but the challenge is convincing residents of Johannesburg to ditch the independence of their vehicles for the promise of a well-oiled public transport system.