Author:sharmini-naidoo

People to see and places to be… October 1, 2024 What exactly does transport mean for humankind? SHARMINI NAIDOO explains that we don’t use transport for the fun of it, but because “we’ve got people to see and places to be”! The main purpose of transportation has been defined as “connecting people to destinations they value”. It is an essential component of a functioning society and plays a vital role in the development, communication, and coordination of all sectors of […]

Let there be light September 17, 2024 According to Genesis 1.3, in the beginning “God said, ‘let there be light,’ and there was light”. although nothing nearly as spiritual as that, we have now had over 150 days without loadshedding… could this be a sign of brighter days ahead? SHARMINI NAIDOO sure hopes so! Loadshedding was suspended in July this year due to steady ongoing improvement in the reliability of the power utility’s generation fleet, which led to sustained generation performance. […]

Dividing the pie August 5, 2024 The establishment of South Africa’s Government of National Unity has seen the appointment of some new government ministers, while the Climate Change Act has been signed and there’s massive uncertainty when it comes to B-BBEE, writes SHARMINI NAIDOO. In the words of President Cyril Ramaphosa: “In the spirit of partnership and collaboration, the incoming government will work together with other formations to convene a National Dialogue. All parties, civil society groups, labour, business, and […]

Democracy is not a spectator sport… July 22, 2024 The well-known quote by Michael Moore on democracy that was adapted by former President Nelson Mandela reminds us that “democracy is not a spectator sport; it requires the active participation of the people to flourish”… and, writes SHARMINI NAIDOO, my oh my have the people participated! In the words of Cyril Ramaphosa: “In their multitude, in voices that are many and diverse, the people of South Africa have voted and made […]

Elections done and dusted: what now? June 4, 2024 The elections are done and dusted and many South Africans are probably heaving a sigh of relief… but what does the future hold? SHARMINI NAIDOO says that many challenges lie ahead – not least of all for the bus and coach sector.  Martin Luther King, activist, and political philosopher and one of the most prominent leaders in the US civil rights movement, said that “a riot is the language of the […]

Bus industry B-BBEE stalemate May 21, 2024 SHARMINI NAIDOO writes that the bus industry is experiencing little good news, considerable uncertainty, and much frustration when it comes to B-BBEE. April was an extremely busy month for the transport industry and its politicians. Numerous events were scheduled and crammed into the diary with election day approaching. We had the transport summit for universal access on 25 and 26 April; an engagement with the Deputy Minister, Lisa Mangcu, on 26 April; and […]

Draft Public Transport Subsidy Policy throws cat among pigeons! April 25, 2024 Against the backdrop of a high fiscal deficit and rising debt burden, it is essential that the South African government uses its existing resources effectively in the fight against poverty and inequality. So said the World Bank back in November 2014. Sharmini Naidoo notes that this statement is still valid some 10 years later. By taxing the income of the rich proportionally more than the poor, and then […]

Selling the family jewels to make ends meet… March 4, 2024 On 22 February, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana delivered his long-awaited 2024 Budget Speech. It was touted as a “budget without a plan” by political analyst and newspaper columnist Justice Malala. Godongwana was also accused of “selling the family jewels” by many political parties and, while this year’s budget didn’t provide much tax relief to taxpayers, it certainly came with a few surprises. High levels of debt servicing costs and […]

The Politics of Dancing February 8, 2024 As we all know, general elections will be held in South Africa this year. As SHARMINI NAIDOO writes, however, electioneering isn’t the only thing on the agenda for 2024. Bus and coach operators also have to consider a barrage of new regulations. Election fever is here! Shock announcements of new parties, disruptions to existing political parties, expulsions of members, and coalitions to retain and gain power are all on the agenda. The lyrics of the 80s […]

Expectations for 2024 January 16, 2024 The average new year’s resolution lasts just 3.74 months, according to the Forbes Health/One Poll survey for 2024. Only 8% of 1,000 respondents tended to stick with their goals for one month, while 22% lasted two months, another 22% lasted three months, and 13% lasted four months. So, asks SHARMINI NAIDOO, why do we do it? “The New Year serves as a cyclical marker of time during which we reevaluate and take inventory on our […]