Question NW523 to the Minister of Transport
17 September 2019 - NW523
Seitlholo, Mr IS to ask the Minister of Transport
(1)Whether he intends to conduct an oversight visit to the collapsed commuter station of the Rustenburg Rapid Transport (RRT) system; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) Whether he intends to assess the progress made by the Rustenburg Local Municipality on the completion of the RRT project; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. The Department is working closely with the Rustenburg Local Municipality (RLM) to ensure that the municipality is ready to implement operations on the Tlhabane corridor (where the unfinished defective station is located) as soon as possible. It is expected that the initial operations will start no later than the end of January 2020. I will conduct a full inspection once the system is operating.
In the meantime, the RLM Municipal Manager is taking legal action against the former station contractor for substandard work.
2. The Department has met the RLM and the local Taxi Negotiating Forum twice in August 2019, with a view to accelerating operations over the next 12 months to cover both the Tlhabane and Boitekong corridors.
By January 2020, we expect at least Starter Service IPTN operations to Tlhabane using branded and formalized minibuses. We expect new trunk buses to start running at the same time or shortly thereafter. Simultaneously with the start of operations, the RLM will fast track completion of stations and a depot. I would like to emphasize that if all RLM stakeholders pull together, I foresee the Rustenburg Yarona IPTN system carrying over 20 000 weekday passenger trips by the end of 2020.