oversight to GNT’s 8 bus depots reveals little improvement
During the past week, DA Spokesperson for Transport and Community Safety, Katlego Suzan Phala, conducted oversights to 8 bus depots of the Great North Transport (GNT), following the state -owned bus company’s reported failures to arrive on time and leaving passengers stranded. (See photos here, here, here)
Our calls for joint oversight visits fell on deaf ears on both the Limpopo Economic Development and Tourism and Transport committee chairpersons.
Oversights were conducted to the Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa, Tzaneen, Makhado, Marble Hall, Motetema, Papedi & Mokopane Great North Transport bus depots to ensure access to areas with economic activities, health care, grant pay points and education.
Most of the depots are understaffed and under resourced to provide logistical and mechanical support to the dwindling fleet.
The Papedi bus depot in Driekop has no mechanic and during our oversight, the assistant mechanic was on leave.
Most bus depots have vacancies for bus inspectors and the Tzaneen depot has been without a bus inspector for 2 years due to lack of funds. At most of the depots, where inspectors are employed, there are no ancillary vehicles to perform their duties outside the depots.
Ancillary vehicles are important to depots as they are utilised by mechanics to attend to bus breakdowns. Mechanics now utilise private vehicles to perform these functions.
Phalaborwa bus depot is currently not selling tickets as commuters greatly decreased due to an unreliable schedule and fleet; they deal with cash only which cannot be condoned.
The delay of parts procurement contributes greatly to the deterioration of the fleet.
It is clear that the turnaround strategy was ill-conceived as rural bus depots are now under resourced and have critical vacancies which diminish their services.
The gap in subsidised transport left by GNT affects poor communities who cannot afford other means of transport.
The DA will continue to conduct regular oversights until the ANC-government accounts for services promised.
