Transport Committee flags serious failures in Msunduzi BRT project
The Portfolio Committee on Transport says it is not enough for the Msunduzi Municipality to blame the taxi industry for its failed bus rapid transport system, given that millions have already been spent on it.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers
THE Portfolio Committee on Transport has raised serious concerns about the lack of progress in implementing the Integrated Public Transport Network (IPTN) system in Pietermaritzburg’s Msunduzi Local Municipality.
Committee Chairperson Donald Selamolela said the programme had the potential to drive economic growth and create jobs if it had been properly implemented. He noted that the initiative, commonly referred to as the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system, should not have failed, particularly given the significant public funds already invested in it.
“This programme was meant to benefit commuters and create employment opportunities for our people,” Selamolela said.
Expressing the committee’s disappointment, he warned that the stalled project risked becoming a “white elephant” if urgent action was not taken. “We should not be lamenting missed opportunities. What we found in Pietermaritzburg is deeply concerning,” he said.
On Tuesday, the National Department of Transport informed the committee that the project is being wound down and will ultimately be discontinued. Selamolela said attention must now shift to finding innovative ways to repurpose the infrastructure that has already been developed.
The committee’s oversight visit began with a briefing session, followed by a walkabout of the troubled transport system. Selamolela said it was worrying that there appeared to be a lack of alignment between the national Department of Transport and the municipality regarding the project’s objectives and implementation. He attributed this to a silo mentality and poor coordination. “It is not sufficient to blame the taxi industry for the failure of projects when the municipality itself has fallen short,” he said.
He added that the conflicting positions of the national department and the municipality, one calling for the project to be halted and the other proposing continuation plans, were untenable. Selamolela stressed that the municipality should instead focus on using available funding to develop comprehensive plans to repurpose the existing infrastructure.