A Go!Durban bus
Image: Supplied
AT the intersection of Otto Volek Road and Shepstone Road, in the bustling industrial hub of New Germany, west of Durban, all cars are stationary and idling. The traffic lights are red for all motorists in all four directions of the intersection, except for buses. There's no green arrow that is flickering, beckoning those who are turning, to move. No, the only green light that is on, is for buses—except there are none coming.
The fancy traffic lights are for the ambitious eThekwini Municipality's Go! Durban integrated rapid transport project that has failed to launch more than three times after the announcements of going live.
The green traffic lights for the buses are the bane of most motorists who use the Pinetown, New Germany, Clermont, KwaMashu, and Avoca Hills route that connects the west side of Durban, which used to be known as the Inner West, with the northern part of the city, which used to be known as North Central.
The green light that gives a right of way to unavailable buses is being exploited by some motorists who use the dedicated bus lane to cut through traffic. About 1km down Shepstone Road, a security officer is the study of attention, with his bowed head and eyes fixated on the screen of his smartphone.
There are no commuters to interact with or to give commands to at the fancy bus stop that overlooks the shopping complex at New Germany.
The R1.3 billion Dumisani Makhaye Drive, which was named after struggle stalwart Dumisani Makhaye, the first member of the executive (MEC) in the democratic dispensation to die in office, was unveiled by the then-president Jacob Zuma in 2017.
It is the main carrier of the Go! Durban route, even though it wasn't built for that purpose only. The fairly new highway is a great convenience for residents of the Upper Highway, as it shaves off travel time between the western suburbs and places like Newlands, Phoenix, Umhlanga, and the King Shaka Airport. However, it's a nightmare for motorists because of potholes, damaged street lights, and a terrain that is regularly waterlogged.
The municipality's bus rapid transit (BRT) system aims to provide a safe, affordable, and efficient transport system for the city's residents. It falls under the city's goal to become Africa's most livable city by 2030. About 700,000 commuters were projected to benefit from or be served.
It was fashioned after other BRT systems in other metros and municipalities in South Africa that tried to replicate the Brazilian model, which was invented by the South American country in the 70s, like Johannesburg's Rea Vaya (loosely translated to 'we are going'), which has been operational since 2009; Cape Town's MiCiTi, which was launched in 2010; Tshwane's A Re Yeng (loosely translated to 'let's go'), which started its operations in 2014; and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro's Libhongo Lethu (our pride), which was first piloted in 2010.
The Nelson Mandela Bay's integrated public transport system has been beset by many problems ranging from corruption allegations, shortage of buses, and disagreements about routes with the taxi industry. Last year, part of the fleet was taken off the road because of unroadworthiness.
As the traffic lights go red for the buses that are not coming, they turn green for the anxious motorists who'd been patiently waiting, a relief that potential Go! Durban commuters are yet to experience.