Is South African public transport in a crisis?

Public transport in this country is seemingly in a state of crisis, and constantly under fire. As BAZIL GOVENDER notes, the bus industry is bearing the brunt of a perfect storm created by dire operating conditions.

First of all, it is important to note that this opinion piece does not set out to provide answers to the public transport crisis. Rather, it aims to stimulate the discussion and progress the narrative toward an inclusive solution for sustainable integrated transport in South Africa – from a bus industry perspective.

Before we explore the extent of the crisis and how it is being determined, how do we actually define a crisis? The Oxford Dictionary’s definition is “a time of great danger, difficulty or doubt when problems must be solved, or important decisions must be made”.

In other words, a crisis can be seen as a difficult event (or events), taking place over a certain period, that creates an unstable and dangerous situation that will affect individuals, groups, or even all of society. These crises – when not dealt with decisively – often result in situations that can be termed “crisis moments”, when things are unstable and possibly even dangerous. These moments represent crucial stages or turning points in the course of events.

Within the context of these definitions, one is left with a very clear sense that South Africa’s public transport – and particular, the bus and coach industry – has been, and still is, in a desperate state of crisis.

The uncertain legislative and policy environment (the event) over the last two decades (the period) has impacted the lives of all South Africans (all of society) and the bus industry in particular has borne the brunt of these uncertainties. The bus industry is under attack and in serious threat of destruction (the unstable and dangerous situation).

Unfortunately, this seems to have now culminated in a moment of crisis; we have reached a crucial stage or turning point in the course of the industry’s sustainability.

Set against the backdrop of two years of Covid-19 impact, a crisis moment of epic proportions – a perfect storm for the bus industry – has resulted from a combination of the following factors:

• Current legislative impasse
• A series of litigious cases
• The competing ideologies of status quo vs. transformation
• The incongruence between inter-governmental structures, coupled with low levels of institutional competence
• A stuttering economy with rising levels of unemployment
• Infrastructure decay
• Decreasing and constrained funding
• Overarching discontent amongst citizens
• Civil unrest and natural disasters
• Rising costs (fuel/exchange rate/labour)

In the context of a crisis moment, it is at this juncture that difficult and important decisions need to be made to ensure the sustainability of the bus industry, within the wider integrated public transport system network.

There is no silver bullet…

Stable public transport networks increase our municipal and provincial governments’ solution options. Given prevailing social, economic, and geographical inequalities, there cannot be a one-size-fits-all outcome, but the crisis moment, in itself, calls for leadership.

Leadership comprises the captains of industry, together with government leaders. An urgent bus industry roundtable is needed, to ensure that the voice of the industry is heard by the relevant authorities, whilst the voice of government is factored in by the industry. This would serve as a platform for solidifying a commitment to creative, inclusive leadership that incorporates visionary problem solving.

Collective leadership must also demonstrate clarity in reasoning and vision across all levels and build trust between all affected stakeholders, towards a common end result: a sustainable, integrated public transport network that can be viably funded and implemented.

This vital outcome can only be achieved by adopting a big picture approach to transport – not a modal interest approach – focusing on incorporating these key aspects:

• Spatial planning and development with public transport systems aligned.
• Government capacity and institutions (at all tiers) for devolution of public transport management.
• Investment in infrastructure, systems, and technology.
• Violence avoidance and crime prevention, requiring a multi-disciplinary approach and commitment with accountability.
• Integrated transport planning and implementation.
• Requisite and differentiated funding models.
• Introduction of PPP initiatives to supplement funding and sustainability.

Given the complexity of South Africa’s history, the social and technological trends and influences will impact transport planning and transport systems well into the future. It is thus critical to legislate and decisively implement the establishment of transport authority institutions, in order for them to assume legal status and manage the transport requirements within their applicable domains. These institutions also need to coordinate strategic transport issues involving all stakeholders at national, provincial, and local government levels.

For more interaction and commentary on this and other critical issues, look out for the SABOA Conference, Dinner, and Exhibition in June 2022.