Pensioner struggles to survive after permits revoked
A 62-YEAR-OLD businessman has been struggling to make ends meet after his bus operating permits were unlawfully revoked by the Gauteng department of roads and transport.
The pensioner has been struggling to take care of his family of 11 because his only source of income was taken.
Samuel Jwaga, owner of the Jika Bus Service that operated in Bekkersdal on the West Rand, has told how his life changed since his bus company stopped operating.
“Ever since my buses stopped operating, my life has come to a standstill. It is a mess and things have not been the same.”
Jwaga claimed that there was tension between him and a local taxi association that perceived him as a competitor.
“In 1998, one of my buses was torched by the taxi drivers.”
A year later, the taxi association alleged Jwaga ’ s bus permits were obtained fraudulently. They approached the Gauteng Provincial Regulatory Entity (GPRE) that recalled the operating permits.
“I continued to operate until November 2009 when GPRE sent me a letter saying my permits have been cancelled. I referred the matter to the presidential hotline, but they sent me to the office of the public protector.”
In January 2011, the office of the public protector sent a letter to Jwaga acknowledging receipt of his complaint.
In March 2012, he received another letter advising him to refer the matter to the Transport Appeal Tribunal.
In November 2013, the tribunal found that there was no tangible proof of any fraudulent conduct on his part.
“I was not found guilty on any of the allegations, but I am still suffering.”
The GPRE appealed the tribunal’s decision at the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.
Six months after GPRE took the matter to the high court, Jwaga has no idea of what is going on. “Last week I was at the high court and I was told that the case was not registered and its not even on the roll.”
Gauteng department of roads and transport spokeswoman Octavia Mamabolo did not respond to questions sent on Monday.
Jwaga said: “Since 2009, I have lost R10-million. I am sure its more because by now the bus fare would have increased and I would have more buses.”
He said his youngest child attends a special needs school and he was struggling to pay his fees. “If it was not for this whole situation, none of my children would have dropped out I cannot afford their fees and the situation at home is not good.” Jwaga said he did not have buses anymore because people had stripped off their parts and he was forced to sell them to a scrapyard.
Bekkersdal resident Ruth Phanyekwa said since the Jika buses stopped operations, she has been affected.
“The Jika buses were affordable and always on time compared to taxis. A taxi does not depart before it has all the passengers, but a bus has one time for departure. When petrol decreased the Jika busfare would also decrease,” she said.