Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
public transportlatest news & developments
Prasa, through the rolling stock recapitalisation programme, procured new rolling stock for its Metro Rail operations as part of its long-term modernisation strategy. (Delwyn Verasamy)
AUDIT IMPROVEMENT

Prasa achieves first unqualified audit in nine years with 93% performance rate

The state-owned passenger rail agency has a long-term goal of 600 million trips by 2035

  • Nkateko Joseph Mabasa
3 min read
Graphic: John McCann
AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT

South Africa needs to learn from disasters

A re-think of how we live, relate to other sentient beings and consume will allow us to ‘learn, unlearn and relearn’ to convert disasters into strengths

  • Riedwaan Kimmie
6 min read
Powering on: Egypt’s cities of Cairo Alexandria and Sharm El-Sheikh are shifting to electric buses. (Khaled Desouki/Getty Images)
AFRICA

Urban transport across Africa turns to electrification

The continent is embarking on a path to an electric public transport system, highlighting the importance of infrastructure investment

  • bird story agency
4 min read
In a study released by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), 4 001 trucks and buses were recorded as being involved in fatal crashes from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022. (Photo by MUJAHID SAFODIEN/AFP via Getty Images)
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT

Transport department outlines plans for public accessibility

Increase in road fatalities inspires strategic framework for transport

  • Umamah Bakharia
3 min read
ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula
ATTACKS

Court orders Mbalula to take action against attacks on long-distance buses, pending appeal outcome

Transport minister must develop a plan to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers as violent attacks continue

  • Eunice Masson
3 min read
Notorious: The Honda Fit has earned a reputation in Zimbabwe for being the car of choice for pirate taxis and criminals
BULAWAYO

Honda Fit has become the vehicle of choice for criminals in Zimbabwe

The police have warned commuters about using these pirate taxis but people have no choice but to use them

  • Marko Phiri
4 min read
CAPE AMALGAMATED TAXI ASSOCIATION

Cape Town routes being monitored after taxi boss shot dead

Fears of renewed taxi violence are sparked after the body of a leader of the Congress of Democratic Taxi Association was found on sand dunes near Khayelitsha

  • Eunice Masson
2 min read
One expert says the outages are a wake-up call for how water is managed in the country’s economic hub. (Delwyn Verasamy)
ANC

The ANC, DA and EFF ‘oblivious’ to climate crisis — Climate Justice Charter Movement

The Climate Justice Charter Movement has critiqued the manifestos of the main parties contesting the local government elections and found them ‘shallow’

  • Sheree Bega
6 min read
President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo by LUCA SOLA/AFP via Getty Images)
ALLIANCE PARTNERS

Ramaphosa hits the right notes as he urges Cosatu to continue to support the ANC

Cosatu meets to deliberate on its support for the governing party in the upcoming local government elections

  • Chris Gilili
3 min read
CAPE AMALGAMATED TAXI ASSOCIATION

Rivals agree on new measures to end Cape Town taxi dispute

But key route remains closed and affected areas halt issuing of operating licences

  • Eunice Masson
2 min read
Standstill: The ongoing taxi war has put a strain on transport, leaving commuters waiting for hours in Cape Town’s city centre. (David Harrison/M&G)
CAPE AMALGAMATED TAXI ASSOCIATION

Taxi violence: Fight for survival in Cape Town’s dangerous turf war

The flare-up of the taxi war in the Western Cape has again shown the industry’s ability to hold commuters, the state and the local economy to ransom

  • Eunice Masson
7 min read
Public transport in Cape Town and its surrounds has stabilised somewhat following two weeks of disruption due to ongoing conflict over routes between two rival taxi associations.
CAPE AMALGAMATED TAXI ASSOCIATION

Cape Town transport stabilised after two weeks of taxi violence

But despite the calm, rival taxi associations have not yet made peace in their turf war

  • Eunice Masson
3 min read
The route between Mbkweni/Paarl and Bellville, Route B97, has been closed in response to violence in the taxi industry. (Photo by: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
CONGRESS OF DEMOCRATIC TAXI ASSOCIATION

Western Cape closes roads to end deadly taxi violence

The closure of the Mbekweni/Paarl and Bellville route comes as negotiations between taxi operators fail and will affect thousands of commuters

  • Eunice Masson
3 min read
File photo
CAPE AMALGAMATED TAXI ASSOCIATION

Taxi associations in impasse over dispute

Western Cape government cuts off its Blue Dot incentive payments to Cata and Codeta and financial support agreement with Santaco

  • Eunice Masson
4 min read
The Western Cape taxi war now threatens commuters on the Golden Arrow bus service, with talks between various stakeholders not yielding a solution. (Photo credit should read RODGER BOSCH/AFP via Getty Images)
CONGRESS OF DEMOCRATIC TAXI ASSOCIATION

Cape Town taxi violence spills over to bus service as attacks continue

The Western Cape taxi war now threatens commuters on the Golden Arrow bus service, with talks between various stakeholders not yielding a solution

  • Eunice Masson
3 min read
Hundreds of people queue to enter a supermarket stoking a fear of food and fuel shortages in Durban on July 14, 2021 as several shops, businesses and infrastructure are damaged in the city, following five nights of continued violence and looting sparked by the jailing of ex-president Jacob Zuma. – So far, 72 people have died and more than 1,200 people arrested, since former president Jacob Zuma began a 15-month jail term for contempt, sparking protests that swiftly turned violent. The violence, targeting malls and other economic hotspots has seen shops and infrastructure destroyed. (Photo by RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP)
ARMS DEAL TRIAL

KwaZulu-Natal gets back to work as fears of second shutdown fail to materialise

Taxi boss Mandla Gcaba went on radio at the weekend to deny his taxis would be used to shuttle protesters to support his cousin, Jacob Zuma

  • Paddy Harper
2 min read
Twenty years ago, the role of South Africa’s cities in the sustainable energy transition and the scale of their energy consumption was unknown. Today, they’re at the forefront of changing the country’s energy demands and carbon emissions profiles.
BUILDING DESIGN

South Africa’s cities opt for clean energy

Efforts to reduce carbon emissions will hinge on the transport sector

  • Sheree Bega
4 min read
South Africa’s buildings account for 40% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.
BUILDING DESIGN

How designing ‘green’ buildings can help to combat the climate crisis

South Africa’s buildings account for 40% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. But the City of Johannesburg’s new draft green buildings policy aims to change that

  • Sheree Bega
2 min read
COVID 19

President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the nation next week

The national coronavirus command council will meet next week to discuss ways it can clamp down on the increasing Covid-19 infections. This is after the cabinet met this week to…

  • Tshegofatso Mathe
3 min read
Public transport in Cape Town and its surrounds has stabilised somewhat following two weeks of disruption due to ongoing conflict over routes between two rival taxi associations.
AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

Fikile has a daring plan for taxis

The transport minister presented to the ANC’s top body a proposal to establish a bank for taxi operators and to subsidise the industry

  • Thanduxolo Jika
  • Mail Guardian Correspondent
6 min read