Question NW434 to the Minister of Transport
20 March 2019 - NW434
Hunsinger, Mr CH to ask the Minister of Transport
With reference to the devolution of transport functions and service to provinces and/ or local authorities, (a) what negotiations are currently underway in this regard, (b) with which provinces and local authorities are such negotiations taking place, (c) what functions and/or services are under discussion and (d) at what stage are such negotiations in each case?
Reply:
Public Transport
a) Negotiations have taken place and information shared with the City of Cape Town. At the meeting held at the City lodge, a request was submitted to the Minister in terms of section 11(4) of the National Land Transport Act, No. 5 of 2009, to assign two functions, namely, operating licensing and contracting authority to the local authority. Other local authorities have just indicated their intentions, but no negotiations have started thus far.
b) The City of Cape Town.
c) The operating licensing and contracting authority functions.
d) The City of Cape Town has been requested to adequately demonstrate that they will be able to fund the functions, on the basis that there is no guaranteed funding from the Department. Unfortunately, the revised Business Plans still contain this observation and the Department has again requested the City of Cape Town to review this position as the Department does not have resources to support even these revised Business Plans.
Rail Transport
a) The National Land Transport Act, (No.5 of 2009) enables the rail function to be assigned to the most appropriate sphere of Government. In alignment with the Integrated Urban Development Framework, a directive of the National Development Plan, the Department will develop a Devolution Strategy that would allow the Department to consider the viability of devolving the rail function to Metropolitan Authorities.
The devolvement strategy for commuter rail would be aligned with the relevant statutory provisions. It is anticipated that the strategy will clearly prescribe the preparatory work that metropolitan authorities need to undertake before the rail function could be devolved. As part of the rail devolvement strategy, Metropolitan Authorities should be supported to build a business case based on undertaking a due diligence exercise to determine the status quo, a clear direction on the role of rail, including the resources required to manage and oversee the function, the service levels, quality and reliability envisaged, how connectivity and integration will be improved and how budgets will be better allocated. The Strategy will also investigate specific performance standards and realistic targets to be negotiated between the affected Metropolitan Authorities and the Department, including PRASA.
b) No negotiations are currently underway with any Metropolitan Authority concerning the devolution of the rail function.
c) Prior the conclusion of the Devolution Strategy no rail function or services will be under discussion with Metropolitan Authorities.
d) Please refer to the response in (b).