Snl24 | Good news for Rea Vaya commuters!

Taxi operators have interrupted Rea Vaya services in Soweto, but that will soon be a thing of the past. Photo by Nhlanhla Khomola

MORE than 45 Rea Vaya feeder buses resumed operations on Friday, 29 November in Soweto.

Route F1 (Thokoza Park station), F2 (Protea Glen to Thokoza Park station), F3 (Jabavu to Lakeview station), F4 (Mofolo to Orlando Police station), and F5 (Eldorado Park to Lakeview station) are now operational.

This resumption follows reported disruptions by taxi associations due to incorrect registration number plates on the buses.

The buses had plates from provinces outside of Gauteng, prompting local taxi operators to intervene. Their actions disrupted services across the city, raising concerns about transportation regulations.

The 45 feeder buses, which were handed over at Rea Vaya Depot in Meadowlands, Soweto on Thursday, 31 October, had not been operational since 5 November.

These interruptions left commuters in Soweto struggling to get to work, forcing them to seek alternative transport. 

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Joburg Transport MMC Kenny Kunene said that when he assumed his role, Pio Trans had been given an empowerment deal 12 years ago to operate BRT on behalf of the city.

“The company was on the brink of collapse due to bankruptcy when I took over. Shareholders asked me to help. They then gave me the powers to headhunt the board and the CEO, which I did. The mandate of the board was that in six months I must work out what is happening, so that I can tell the shareholders what has happened, who has stolen,” he said.

“They came back and said that the company owes too many people. It’s reported that it owes Sars over R72 million. We need more buses to be able to collect more revenue, and the company needs to be put under business rescue.”

Kunene said that two companies took the company to court in order for it to be on business rescue.

“The High Court appointed a business rescue practitioner, and that process unfolded.” 

Witwatersrand Taxi Association spokesman Hamilton Miya told Daily Sun that commotion was caused by the buses with KZN number plates.

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