Minister steps in to stop harassment of long-distance travellers

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has assured travellers using long-distance public transport that regulations will be amended to ensure they make it home without any stops.

“I was in communication with the Minister of Cogta (Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs) last night, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, and today we are looking at passing a directive to enable long distance travel to be sorted out during the period of 1-7 May,” Mbalula told the media in Sandton yesterday.

This comes after several long-distance commuters were stopped by law enforcement officials after curfew.

Under the new Level 4 legislation, all those without a permit should be at home between 8pm and 5am.

A traveller tweeted the minister last night, indicating that the bus she was travelling in had been stopped in the middle of the night and was told to only resume travelling again at 5am, once the curfew had ended.

As a result, Mbalula said the department was going to address the exceptional circumstances that occur during long-distance travel.

“This is to ensure that travellers are not affected by the roadblocks and they are not stopped on the road.

“I wish to apologise to everybody who got inconvenienced by that and we are sorting out the issue so that, by the end of today, we gazette a direction that will enable long distance, particularly public transport people to be catered for,” he said.

Park Station was a hive of activity yesterday as travellers rushed to get home during the window period.

Siba Singqoto, 37, said he had

We will gazette a direction that will enable long distance public transport people to be catered for.

Fikile Mbalula Transport minister

been forced to return home to Port Elizabeth, as he could no longer afford the cost of living in Johannesburg while the company he works for is under lockdown.

“I arrived in Johannesburg in January to start work, so I was still under probation when the lockdown started.

“Due to the company being under lockdown, I have not earned any income. Because of that, I have to return home until things get back to normal,” he said. – News24 Wire