Public Transport Voice Opposition to annual Metrorail price hike

Why should commuters pay more for Metrorail’s a deteriorating public transport system?

Public Transport Voice and Metrorail commuters oppose the proposed price hike of train fares effective from 1 July 2016.

 Public Transport Voice (PTV) is an organisation that advocates for quality and equality in the South African public transport sector. We promote the right to equality in public transport, with the firm belief that this will give the poor and working classes more equal opportunities. We believe the proposed fare increases will mostly affect poor and marginalised societies – and have the direct opposite effect of what we are advocating for.

What’s more, after last year’s price hikes commuters saw no improvement in the system: it is deteriorating month by month, with delays, signal problems, fewer trains and carriages, dangerous tracks due to lack of maintenance, and crime spiralling out of control – commuters are robbed on peak hour trains, even at gunpoint, and security is lax.

PTV is calling on the National Department of Transport, Metrorail and PRASA to manage their budgets responsibly and fulfil the basic mandates of public transport: Reliable, Safe, Affordable, Accessible, Clean.

An eficient, well-run public transport system benefits the economy, as workers are able to get to and from work on time; students and learners can get to their classes and exams; traffic and parking pressures in cities are eased; jobs are created; and tourism is boosted. It also benefits the environment by providing transportation with a low carbon footprint.

After 22 years of democracy the South African public transport system remains vastly underserviced and underdeveloped and poses an obstacle to equality, opportunity, dignity and freedom. Commuters are marginalised stakeholders in the public transport system and PTV aims to usher in active participation and engagement between service providers and commuters.

Zingisani Nkanjeni    Contact the author of the petition