Billions lost in shoddy transport project
Minister unhappy with progress at Rustenburg hub
The R4-billion Rustenburg Rapid Transport project, launched in 2005, is not worth the price tag attached to it, and transport minister has warned heads will roll.
On an oversight visit to the project allegedly marred by corruption and poor workmanship, Minister Fikile Mbalula demanded accountability on what happened to the billions of rand invested in the project
This week, Mbalula embarked on an oversight visit to Rustenburg, North West, and said R3-billion has already been spent on the project.
He said the project was expected to connect the existing rail systems, buses and mini-bus taxis and to ensure that people move easily around the city.
“We undertook an inspection of various corridors of the Yarona Integrated Public Transport network. The aim was to get a better sense of the state and progress made in rolling out the bus rapid transport infrastructure.
“The inspection was meant to enable us to determine the nature of intervention required to complete the infrastructure. However, I am alarmed at the unacceptable state of bus lanes and stations.
“Working with the National Treasury, forensic investigation will get under way to determine what happened to the billions that were invested in this project, and who is to be held accountable. Once the investigation has been completed, the arm of the law will find those who think they can steal from the public purse with impunity.
“We are committed to working with the city to build the requisite capacity, strengthen project management and introduce a more interventional method of monitoring and oversight,” said Mbalula.
Theron Rapoo, the project manager at the Rustenburg local municipality, said: “Although the minister was dissatisfied with the state of the construction sites, the municipality was praised for handling the relevant Integrated Public Transport Network issues well, including the conversion of the cab industry, the conclusions and the automated fare collection system.
“With that being said, the municipality conceded to legal delays in rezoning during the construction of the Yarona project and that the acquisition of operating licences for the buses took longer than usual.
“The minister called on the municipality to speed up the completion of the project and asked that the Yarona buses, start operating immediately.”
Rapoo said the municipality has assured the minister that “the project will move forward within the next month.”
DA councillor Martin Coetzee said it was unacceptable to see billions of rand pumped into a project that remained in tatters.
“In 2019, a concrete roof on one of the RRT stations collapsed despite millions paid to the contractor, who delivered shoddy work.
“Not a single official or contractor has been held accountable and neither has any money been recovered.
“The people of Rustenburg are still without an integrated, affordable and reliable public transport system.
“At least R3-billion was allocated to the RRT project and spent, but what the municipality has to show for this is a road surface with grass growing through it, two buses and collapsing stations due to shoddy workmanship,” Coetzee said.
Meanwhile, member of the North West legislature’s portfolio committee on public works and roads Kim Medupe said since the beginning of the year, the committee has conducted an oversight visit to the roads across the province.
She said they are concerned about the condition of roads in the province.