JOHANNESBURG'S TWO BILLION RAND BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 002478 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS DEPT FOR EEB/TRA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EINV ELTN SOCI SF PREL PGOV SUBJECT: JOHANNESBURG'S TWO BILLION RAND BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM FALLING SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS REF: A. 09 JOHANNEBURG 17 ¶B. 09 DURBAN 37 ¶C. 08 PRETORIA 737 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Emboff tested Johannesburg's new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System, the Rea Vaya, on November 20. The Rea Vaya was launched on October 20, to improve public transport infrastructure and alleviate traffic gridlock in South Africa's most congested and economically productive city. The Rea Vaya is intended to complement other initiatives to improve public transport infrastructure ahead of 2010 FIFA World Cup (reftels). The SAG hopes to increase public transport utilization to 70 percent eventually. The Rea Vaya is struggling to gain commuter acceptance, and in the past several weeks has received a swath of negative press for its myriad of problems. The Rea Vaya, opposed from the very beginning by the local taxi (minibus) industry, announced the closure of its feeder routes in November due to insufficient passenger demand and inadequate marketing. With the World Cup less than 200 days away, the SAG cannot afford continued negative press for the Rea Vaya or for the R2 billion ($270 million) project to fail. Tourists and commuters could have difficulty moving around Johannesburg, which is hosting multiple World Cup matches as well as the opening and closing ceremonies, without a reliable and widely used public transport system. End Summary. -------------- BRT IMPRESSIVE AT FIRST GLANCE, BUT DEMAND REMAINS LOW -------------- ¶2. (U) Emboff spent approximately three hours riding along the Rea Vaya's main bus route, from Johannesburg's Ellis Park stadium (hosting World Cup matches and near the Central Business District) through the city's main business and commercial districts toward Soweto (South Western Township). The majority of riders were black commuters. A one-way ticket on the 25 kilometer route costs R5 (about 70 cents). The Rea Vaya stations and buses operate at current international standards. The main bus stations are serviced by helpful attendants, and purchasing tickets at the main stations was usually quick and easy. Some BRT bus stations did not have signs indicating the routes or the scheduled pick-up times, but the BRT attendants were typically available to answer any questions. ¶3. (SBU) The buses have a total capacity of 112 passengers, but were on average 25 percent full. A spokesman for the BRT said about 16,000 commuters use the BRT's main route, well below the 70,000 expected. One leading newspaper proclaimed, "the buses failed to put bums on seats," citing difficulty buying tickets and poor marketing of the service, routes, and schedules. Fear of violence from competing minibus drivers, and crime in general, is another deterrent. Other press reports have suggested that BRT ridership remains low because of Johannesburg's sprawling nature and the fact that many commuters still find minibus taxis - even if unsafe - the most convenient point-to-point transportation. -------------- CONFLICT WITH LOCAL TAXI INDUSTRY A CONCERN -------------- ¶4. (SBU) One cause for low commuter demand is ongoing opposition with the local taxi (minibus) industry, which believes the BRT system would cut their market share. Commuters are afraid to use the Rea Vaya out of fear of violent confrontations with taxi drivers, who currently provide the overwhelming majority of local transportation in South Africa. According to one Rea Vaya station Qtransportation in South Africa. According to one Rea Vaya station manager and former taxi driver, the real reason for the closure of some of the feeder routes was the risk of conflict with cartel-like taxi bosses. He said many people were scared to ride the buses in these areas because they did not want to be seen by taxi drivers as siding with the BRT system. There have been several incidents of violent actions against the Rea Vaya, including shootings by taxi drivers. The taxi industry launched violence-plagued protests in early 2009 in opposition to the BRT system, but was ultimately calmed by President Zuma and other SAG officials who have said that the taxi industry will receive an ownership stake in the BRT system. No significant security incidents have been reported in the press since the feeder routes were discontinued. ¶5. (SBU) Security personnel patrolled two of the approximately 15 bus stations visited by Emboff. Buses operating in their designated BRT lanes were often cut off and stopped by minivan taxis picking up their clients. One Rea Vaya driver claimed the taxi drivers do this on purpose to slow bus routes. Some of the bus station attendants and drivers told Emboff that they were former taxi drivers. Rea Vaya officials claim that some 75 former taxi drivers now worked for PRETORIA 00002478 002 OF 002 the BRT because of better pay and reduced stress. One bus driver said he was trained by Rea Vaya officials to be patient with aggressive taxi drivers. ¶6. (SBU) During an inspection tour of World Cup legacy projects, which included a Saturday, October 31, ride on the Rea Vaya, Deputy President Motlanthe pronounced the BRT a safe, reliable, and affordable public transport option. His statement was meant to counteract the negative publicity the Rea Vaya has received since its launch. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) SAG pleas for commuters to use the BRT system clearly indicate the importance government has placed on the costly Rea Vaya. Tourists and commuters could have difficulty moving around Johannesburg, which is hosting multiple World Cup matches as well as the opening and closing ceremonies, without a reliable and widely used public transport system. Nonetheless, legitimate fears of crime hamper all public transit in South Africa and will remain a challenge for Reya Vaya to overcome. ¶8. (SBU) A failure of the BRT could reflect badly on the South African Government and the ruling ANC, which trumpeted the system as a solution to transportation woes in Johannesburg, as well as Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth. At a time when the government is making a push for improved service delivery and better use of government funding, any failure of public transit will leave the ANC open to criticism. The city's other key transport project -- the much vaunted Gautrain (light rail/subway) -- will connect Johannesburg's central district to Pretoria and OR Tambo International Airport and will be phased in between 2010 and 2011. However, that system bypasses many of the townships that most rely on public transportation. Much of the Gautrain will also not be operational for the World Cup. GIPS