Transport

Delays, faults and failures: what is to be done about Metrorail?

Persistent train delays cause constant problems for Metrorail commuters. The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), which owns Metrorail, plans to fix South Africa’s ageing and poorly maintained rail infrastructure.

Kevin Elliott

News | 19 February 2015

No benefit for taxi commuters as petrol price plunges

The petrol price drops today by R1.27 a litre and the diesel price by R1.05 - but this will not mean lower fares for Cape Town’s taxi and bus passengers.

Zintle Tia Swana

News | 7 January 2015

Long day’s journey to school

The journey to school is long and tough for many pupils. Some have to travel for hours on foot to get to school. The Equal Education Law Centre (EELC) recently collected affidavits in rural KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) which were “truly incredible and devastating”.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 4 December 2014

Running a vegetable shop from a wheelchair

Lulamile Witbooi lost his legs in a train accident in 1991. Today he runs the “Corner Market”, a thriving fruit and vegetable shop in Zwezwe, Khayelitsha.

Joyce Xi

News | 26 November 2014

Fines, firings and written warnings thanks to Metrorail delays

While Metrorail guards demand train tickets, a poor service leaves many commuters to face the consequences of being late.

Tariro Washinyira and Zintle Swana

News | 20 November 2014

Link between poor housing, traffic deaths and education outcomes

The 7th annual Irene Grootboom Memorial Dialogues, which explore the continuation of Cape Town’s “spatial apartheid”, are underway. On Tuesday night, the focus was on the spate of shack evictions around the city this year, and the correlation between poor, densely populated areas and traffic deaths and education outcomes.

Daneel Knoetze

News | 19 November 2014

Provincial government accuses taxi association of invading routes of legal operators

Following the beating up of a member of the Vrygrond Taxi Association (VTA) earlier this week, GroundUp asked the Western Cape Ministry of Transport and Public Works its views on the VTA.

Daneel Knoetze

News | 14 November 2014

Vrygrond taxi driver beaten at roadblock

Long running tensions between City of Cape Town traffic authorities and the Vrygrond Taxi Association boiled over into a roadside beating of a taxi driver in Muizenberg on Tuesday.

Daneel Knoetze

News | 13 November 2014

After hundreds of jobs lost, Free State promises to fix impassable road

Four years after a R100-million provincial government contract crashed in the Free State – driving a large civil engineering company into bankruptcy and rendering a major road impassable – the province has finally taken action to repair the disaster.

Barbara Maregele (with amaBhungane)

News | 7 November 2014

Keeping children safe in traffic

Posters have been put up in four high-risk areas of the city reminding motorists to be aware of child pedestrians in traffic.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 29 October 2014

Road Accident Fund goes to communities

People involved in a road accident where someone is injured or killed should come directly to the Road Accident Fund, Communications Manager for RAF Jacqui Sobantu said at a briefing in Mfuleni at the weekend.

Johnnie Isaac

News | 14 October 2014

Taxi owners distance themselves from strike

As all Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) returned to normal, taxi associations Cata and Codeta say they are happy with the outcome of the meeting they had on Tuesday, and that calm has been restored among taxi drivers.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 3 September 2014

Taxi drivers vow to continue protest

Taxi drivers angry at an increase in traffic fines have vowed to continue their protest if the authorities do not reduce fines.

Mary-Anne Gontsana and Katy Scott

News | 3 September 2014

Delivery truck burned and looted in Mfuleni

A delivery truck was set alight and looted in Mfuleni yesterday.

Johnnie Isaac

Brief | 2 September 2014

School transport a nightmare

Every day hundreds of parents depend on private transport operators to get their children to school and back home. The quality of service varies. GroundUp found some disturbing stories.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

Feature | 27 August 2014

New organisation vows to hold City transport accountable

A new organization called Public Transport Voice has launched itself at the offices of the Treatment Action Campaign, Khayelitsha. The organisation plans to educate people through workshops about the transport system and how it works. It also aims to conduct training for taxi drivers on how to conduct themselves appropriately to customers.

Pharie Sefali

News | 6 August 2014