COSATU in Gauteng is dismayed by the news that Gauteng MEC of Transport, Dr. Ishmael Vadi and his department will be subsidizing GAUTRAIN operating expenses with a whopping R1.5 billion this year. This confirms our standing argument and view that our government does not care about safer public transport for the working-class but prioritises transport for the elites.

The federation in Gauteng has also observed that a number of roads passing through working-class communities are not in good conditions. One road in question is R511 or William Nicole that passes through Diepsloot. The reconstruction of this road was supposed to have been finished in November 2016, and two years down the line the road is not finished and contractors have not been on site since early 2017. While this is happening the MEC of Transport has the audacity to announce that Gautrain will be subsidized with such a vast amount of money.

The working class is still burdened by the user-payer system, the e-tolls, to which the government does not have any solution, despite it being a thorny issue for the majority of citizens. The e-tolls were one of the factors that cost the ANC support during the 2016 local government elections. It is worrying to see how tone deaf the Gauteng MEC for Transport and the entire government is in this matter.

COSATU in Gauteng will seek an audience with the Premier and MEC of Transport to clarify us on this reckless behavior directed to servicing the elites at the expense of the majority of the people of Gauteng.

For more information please call COSATU Gauteng Secretary Dumisani Dakile 082 727 1422 – or Chairperson Amos Monyela 076 636 0920/079 493