The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, as part of a drive to kick Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS) operations into gear, has pumped R9m into reviving a Kariega facility that stood vacant for about a decade.
Though the Kariega route was meant to have been operational in 2024, commuters might have to wait even longer for the buses to roll, as changes to the national transport department’s grant framework have delayed the municipality’s plans.
The municipality wants to put pedal to the metal to get the route going, with a council resolution allowing for it to be launched, but approval from the national transport department is still needed.
“We are in a process of rolling out but we are waiting for corrections to be made by the department,” mayor Babalwa Lobishe said.
For years, Gqeberha’s IPTS has been synonymous with delays, cost overruns, broken promises and political controversy, leaving a multibillion-rand project far from the functioning public transport network residents were promised.
The IPTS has also been dogged by allegations and investigations relating to corruption, irregular expenditure and questionable contracts.
What was intended to transform public transport in the city has instead become one of the Bay’s longest-running infrastructure failures.
Meanwhile, the municipality spent about R9m refurbishing the former Fresh Produce Market facility in Kariega, which falls under its economic development, tourism and agriculture department.
The project will repurpose the market into a dual-purpose facility supporting IPTS operations and a fresh produce market for emerging farmers from Kariega, Despatch and surrounding areas.
Phase 1b of the refurbishment was completed in May after work began early last year to restore a facility that had not been used for about 10 years.
Phase 1 is 70% complete.
IPTS acting director Cavell Chiloane said the work began with clearing the site, which had been heavily overgrown with trees and bushes and where the road was no longer visible.
“We had to start again in terms of the layer works, so that it could sustain the load of the buses, because the road itself was not prepared for the buses and the long buses can get quite heavy,” Chiloane said.
The refurbishment included new paving blocks and roadside kerbing, repairs to the stormwater drainage system and parking areas for the vehicle operating company (VOC).
The building also required extensive work, including new windows and doors, plumbing, ablution facilities, painting, ceilings and roofing.
Chiloane said the facility would house the VOC responsible for operating the Kariega IPTS route.
He said the transport industry remained in support of the initiative and met the municipality monthly.
Ten taxi associations had established a company called Rholihlahla, which is in a joint venture with Algoa Bus (Pty) Ltd to form Gqeberha Transport Services, the VOC that would operate the Kariega route.
However, the VOC is still waiting for the department to approve the agreement.
The agreement regulates the relationship between the municipality and the VOC.
Chiloane said the municipality would provide about R9m in pre-operational funding to allow the VOC to establish itself, purchase equipment and set up an office at the facility.
“The pre-operational funding is around R9m, which they will be getting to establish themselves, and that is also subject to the approval of the department,” he said.
The Kariega route would initially run from the facility to the CBD, KwaNobuhle and Rosedale.
Plans are to connect the route with Gqeberha.
At present, the VOC’s buses are stationed at Cleary Park.
However, nine buses and two spare buses are required for the Kariega route.
The IPTS model would not accommodate taxis at the facility.
Instead, taxis equivalent to the passenger capacity of each bus would be removed from the road.
Chiloane said about 40 taxis would initially be removed, with their owners compensated for losses of legitimate income.
The removed taxis would then be scrapped.
“This is part of us moving away from the model of storing taxis at Cleary Park,” Chiloane said.
While Phase 1b has been completed, the municipality is still preparing for Phase 2 of the facility’s refurbishment, estimated to cost about R8m.
Chiloane said the procurement process was at a 14-day objection period.
Once that period had passed, the recommendation would go to the acting city manager for review before a contractor could be appointed.
Project manager Sihle Mjiwu said the Phase 2 contract was expected to run for four months.
The work would include further road works, repairs to the warehouse, a perimeter fence, CCTV, plumbing, electrical work, flooring, waterproofing, roofing, painting, plastering and fittings.
A mechanical workshop, wash-bay, electrical fencing and further clearing of the site would also be included.
Despite the municipality’s investment, the facility was already showing signs of neglect during an oversight visit by The Herald.
Weeds were growing through portions of the newly constructed pavement, while vegetation had become overgrown around areas earmarked for Phase 2 refurbishment.
A fence is needed behind the facility, though security personnel and trained dogs were stationed on site.
Lobishe said the municipality needed to ensure the facility was maintained properly after having invested millions of rand in its refurbishment.
“My concern is the movement around this area, which is much driven by the number of scrapyards that we see which are also operating outside of their parameters,” she said.
Lobishe said the scrapyards posed a risk to residents and raised concerns about vandalism in the area.
“We are going to come back with the safety and security department to make sure all the scrapyards that are here are compliant,” she said.
Lobishe instructed the manager responsible for the facility to look for groundsmen to maintain the site.
“It cannot be that a facility of the municipality will be left with this overgrown yard with the amount of money we have invested,” she said.
“We have to look after this facility, and I am happy noting the previous state of these facilities.”
Lobishe said the municipality remained eager to see progress and would continue monitoring it.
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