Nzimande: review of subsidies for public transport is underway
The transport minister tells parliament of several improvement projects, including a recovery plan led by Prasa for Cape Town’s Metrorail
The government is undertaking a review of the entire regime of government subsidies of public transport, transport minister Blade Nzimande said in parliament on Wednesday. Nzimande was replying to questions by MPs in the national assembly. ‘‘It is very clear that our public transport subsidy system is still favouring the better off,’’ he said. ‘‘We are looking comprehensively at that so that our public transport system is subsidised in a manner that the main beneficiaries are the working class and the poor.’’ Nzimande said it was not correct that the government was spending money on the Gautrain, which benefited the well-off, whereas minibus taxis, which carry 68% of commuters, did not receive anything, or not much. ‘‘That requires attention and has to be changed,’’ he said. The minister also addressed the ongoing problem of Metrorail train services in the Cape Town metro, which are frequently dysfunctional and subject to delays. He said there was a recovery plan led by the Passenge...
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