Putco accuses premier of acting for popularity

A war of words has erupted between bus company Putco (Public Utility Transport Corporation) and the Mpumalanga government.

Putco suggested premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane was targeting the company to boost her popularity ahead of the ANC’s provincial elective conference.

The premier was quoted as saying Putco had little or no regard for people’s lives, used buses that were unroadworthy and should be removed from the Mpumalanga-Tshwane transit corridor.

On Thursday, Mtsweni-Tsipane led a blitz at the company’s Moloto terminus that saw at least 15 Putco buses impounded over expired operating permits.

Public works, roads and transport spokesperson Frederick Dhlamini said: “Without a valid permit, the bus is on the road illegally. This means if something happens, the Road Accident Fund and other insurance claims will not pay out.”

But Putco spokesperson Matlakala Motloung said its roadworthy certificates were valid.

“Only an invalid certificate of roadworthy prevents a bus from being on the road, not an operating permit.

“That is permission to use a road and has nothing to do with the roadworthiness of the vehicle,” she added.

Motloung said MtsweniTsipane’s statements and actions were regrettable, particularly at a time when emotions over the six people who died when a Putco bus caught alight last month were still fresh.

She suggested the premier was riding on the heightened emotions to boost her chances for the hotly contested position of ANC provincial chairperson.