From the President’s Desk: Slowcoach or speed train? Which way for the Transport Master Plan?

On Monday a colleague spent 2 hours 40 minutes in the morning traffic jam – a 25 km journey through the rain to drop his daughter at school. 

His daughter normally catches the train, but recent service disruptions prompted a change of plan.

The radio news during their ride to school only darkened the mood – all about the fuel price increase. By the time my colleague got home he was feeling significantly poorer. 

The most depressing part of the story is that commuter gridlock is a daily experience, not an exception, for huge numbers of Cape Town commuters. The City is one of the most congested in the world due to multiple factors, among them rapid population growth.

This daily frustration explains the relief at news of Government’s Draft Rail Master Plan, which confirms in-principle support for the devolution of commuter rail to municipalities. The City of Cape Town has long advocated to manage the commuter rail network; it seems it will indeed get its chance.

The Cape Chamber supports the Draft Master Plan, which coincides with skyrocketing fuel prices and widespread consumer angst. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is adding severe pressure to household income, which was already under pressure due to a sluggish economy. In our view a private sector /City partnership would better manage commuter rail to the benefit of long-suffering commuters. This would bring huge relief, at a time when structural reforms are sorely needed. 

Transport consumes a major portion of household income; every cent saved, and every minute saved, helps alleviate financial pressure. 

However, as many stakeholders point out, South Africa is replete with Master Plans, many of them still gathering dust and obsolete. It remains to be seen whether the Transport Masterplan will fare any better. 

It goes without saying that, for commuters and battling households alike, there’s only so much time we can afford to lose. 

Jacques Moolman is President of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry