BCM services lag behind metro status

Five years on, still no metro police, no Bus Rapid Transit system and no new logo

ALTHOUGH Buffalo City Metro (BCM) was upgraded to metro status four years ago, the municipality has still not introduced many services to befit that status.

There is no metro police unit, no Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and the old local municipality logo is still in use.

Unlike other metros around the country, BCM has yet to upgrade its bus system to the standards of the BRT system.

The municipality was granted metro status by the municipal demarcation board in 2011 after looking at revenue generation and economic viability as well as the stats of the municipality.

However, the process of upgrading its services to that of a metro has been done slowly. Some efforts to fast track the process have been derailed by court cases and protracted council discussions.

BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi told the Daily Dispatch that with the issue of the metro police, the municipal council still had to receive a report on the matter.

“Metro police establishment was considered during the review of the micro structure with councillors and the report is yet to go to council early next year,” he said.

The Dispatch understands that after the municipality was given metro status, an application for the establishment of a metro police unit was submitted to the MEC for human settlements, safety and liaison in August 2012.

According to council documents dated November 2015, the application to the MEC was followed up by a letter from the city manager to the MEC in May 2013.

“Subsequent to the letter two meetings were held between MEC [Helen] Sauls-August and the [then] executive mayor, Zukiswa Ncitha,” the council document reads.

The council report further outlines a list of challenges which includes no feedback from worker unions on whether or not they support the establishment of the metro police.

Asked about the non-establishment of a proper bus system, Ngesi said: “BRT tender was in courts for a long time and that was put in abeyance.”

Last year the Dispatch reported that the city had returned R269-million meant for the BRT to the National Treasury revenue fund.

The BRT system in BCM stalled for years as a result of court action over the awarding in 2011 of a R70-million tender to business consortium Goba-SSI-ALG.

Another consortium, BKS, which put in a R54-million tender bid, challenged the awarding of the contract in the Grahamstown High Court.

Last year, the court ordered the metro to reverse the awarding of the R70-million contract to Goba, and instead awarded it to losing bidder BKS.

In response, then BCM mayor Zukiswa Ncitha told the media last year that the metro “would have to go back to the drawing board” on the BRT project. However, nothing has happened.

On the issue of the metro’s logo, Ngesi said a new logo had also been considered in the 2012-13 financial year.

“We had public participation in all wards and there was a tie between the new logo and the existing logo. Council will guide on the way forward,” Ngesi said.

“The metro is only five years old. Not everything will fall into place in the first term. The first five years ending next year have been a classroom for the metro.

“We go into the second term having learnt many lessons. Councillors have already made their inputs in the draft IDP of 20162021 and most of these issues have found expression there.”