Bus fares to go up

Increase unavoidable, company says – and taxi operators likely to follow suit

BUS fares for thousands of Nelson Mandela Bay commuters will increase from tomorrow as the Algoa Bus Company has raised its prices by 8%. Chief executive Sicelo Duze said the hike was unavoidable due to an increase in operational costs.

“As it is the main objective of the company to provide a reliable and affordable passenger transport service, the company has absorbed cost increases since [last year],” Duze said.

The fare increase was not based on fuel price fluctuations but on costs of wages, spares, tyres and other cost components, he said.

About 80 000 people use the company’s buses every week.

On average, adult commuters will spend between R10.80 and R13.80 a trip, depending on which zone it falls under.

Fares for children under 12 and pensioners will increase to between R7.50 and R9.50 per trip.

A trip for an adult from the CBD to NMMU, and from the CBD to Greenacres, will go up by about 80c to R10.80 in both cases.

The company has been advising commuters of the planned increase through radio announcements since Tuesday.

It has also been placing advisory pamphlets in buses.

The news of the increase has been met with mixed reactions from commuters.

Margaret Ncame, 70, of Bridgemeade, said yesterday she had been unaware of the imminent increase, but felt it was unfair. “I don’t think it’s right,” she said. Ncame pays R12 for a trip from Bridgemeade to the CBD.

The increase will see the fare rising to R12.96.

“They should have coupons for schoolchildren or subsidise them,” Ncame said.

“It is not fair. This [increase] is not helping us.”

Juaenre Sweeney, 27, from Uitenhage, who uses the bus service to get to Port Elizabeth, said he paid about R13 for the trip.

The increase will see him paying R14.04 from tomorrow.

“If it increases to R14 then it isn’t that bad, but I can imagine it being a lot more when all the trips you take in one day are added up,” he said.

Nomawethu Felem, 42, of KwaDwesi Extension, pays R12 for a trip from the CBD to where she gets off the bus near the Joe Slovo township. Her trip will now cost about 96c more. Meanwhile, South African Taxi Council (Santaco) spokesman Thabisho Molelekwa said an increase in taxi fares was on the cards but there was no clear indication of when this would come into effect.

“We will look for ways and means to avoid an increase,” he said.

“[However], these increases will not be market-related – some areas will see an increase and others will not.”