Metrorail's new shock

I haven’t penned anything about Metrorail for a few weeks now... Feels like months!
I have been engaging with Metrorail Western Cape on a daily basis though and had a visit to the regional manager, wait former regional manager Mthura Swartz, twice already. An announcement on Friday 30 May is forcing me to write this though.

I should start with the announcement has nothing to do with Swartz leaving Cape Metrorail. He was one of the best regional managers the parastatal has had in the past few years and acknowledges the importance of communication and also engaged with commuters. This is a legacy that I personally hope his successor, Richard Walker, will continue. Apparently I’m meeting him once he’s here, because I’m Metrorail’s biggest critic. I’ve vowed to teach him how to communicate with commuters and tweet.

Anyway……

In March, after a third train derailed that caused a massive headache for Metrorail with massive delays, leaving thousands of commuters frustrated, I wrote four blogs. In one of those blogs I said the harsh reality is that ticket prices will increase in July and that is unfortunately the case. Train fare increases

As a commuter I cannot, nor will I ever support the increase of ticket fares, while trains are delayed on a daily basis.

Having visited Metrorail and engaging with the outgoing RM and other senior staff, I understand the dilemma Metrorail Western Cape is in and also, that they have to generate an additional income to deliver a credible service.

It is also important that commuters take note it is not Metrorail Western Cape who decided on the increases, but Prasa. To tell me new trains will be operational by the first semester of 2016 and that all lines in Cape Town will have free wi-fi are not making things better.

I cannot blame Metrorail Western Cape for the increases but I do wonder what happened to the increases the past few years? They were not used for the recently announced emergency interventions to better the service.

How and did the current management explain to the Prasa executive the current situation in the Western Cape and that not increasing fares this year would be a better/safer bet?

I have also not yet received an answer from Metrorail/Prasa Management if they would decline a salary increase this year until all the constant delays were sorted out!

What is the answer? Well besides the minister’s urgent intervention to ensure commuters benefit and not Prasa from the delays? It would be best if Prasa revise their decision to increase fares and keep it the same for atleast another year.

Since March: Metrorail staff were held hostage, frustrated commuters stormed the offices more than once, more than one train have been torched; stoned and staff assaulted (some even ended in hospital). If the minister and Prasa really cared about both staff and the commuter it is these factors that would make them call an emergency meeting to revise the decision increase ticket tariffs. Guess their response is what they think of staff and commuters

Fit for purpose vs. Consistency

After the General Elections last week, the Western Cape will again be the only province not governed by the ANC. In 2009 there was a big outcry when Helen Zille as premier announced her executive council. I thought I would speculate how a possible provincial cabinet with Zille as Premier might look after the 2014 election.

Zille is on record for saying (at the DA’s manifesto launch) that she’s someone who likes consistency but with Gerrit van Rensburg and Robin Carlisle not returning to the provincial legislature and considering the public outcry against her all male cabinet in 2009, it might be a good opportunity to also make some changes.

Now whether or not MEC’s were performing or not in their portfolios is a different debate, but members, I reckon will likely return to portfolio’s they held before the election are: 

Theuns Botha as Health MEC
Bonginkosi Madikizela as Housing MEC
Alan Winde as Finance, Economic development and Tourism MEC

I think dr. Ivan Meyer might move back to the Social Development portfolio he had between 2009 and 2011, but considering the farm protest and the party’s performance in rural areas in the 2014 election, Meyer (who is also the party’s provincial leader) might also be considered as Agriculture MEC. Should the latter be the case, Albert Fritz might return to the Social Development portfolio. I thought about other possible candidates for Social Development but this portfolio had three MEC’s in 5 years…

My first thoughts on Agriculture MEC, is split between Basil Kivedo (Executive Mayor of Breedevallei municipality) and adv. Gesie van Deventer (Executive Mayor of Drakenstein). Kivedo has the struggle credentials and besides Meyer, is possibly the only other MPL that would be able to speak keep the attention of everyone in the agriculture sector (considering the farmworker protest). Van Deventer has knowledge of the industry and she’s female (a big benefit), how will the sector however receive her.

The other most “most contested” portfolio is that of Community Safety. While Zille is on record for saying she likes consistency, the DA also preaches fit for purpose with the most suitable candidate being appointed. But Zille would also like to avoid the public outcry of not having a female in her cabinet.

Mark Wiley might make a comeback as Community Safety MEC, a portfolio he was responsible for back in 2000. Until 6 May he was the chairperson of the standing committee on Community Safety. Another possible candidate is Lennit Max, who headed the portfolio in 2009, but was sacked by Zille in 2010. Another suitable candidate as Community Safety MEC is Debbie Schafer. Although new, she brings with her experience of the national assembly and was until 6 May, DA shadow deputy minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and a former DA shadow deputy minister of Police.

Should Wiley be the preferred candidate for community safety, I feel Schafer might be considered for the Transport and Public Works portfolio. She was one of the DA’s best performing MPs in the National Assembly and not making it onto the party’s national or regional to national list, was probably a surprise but also an indication that she will most definitely be given a “senior” portfolio in the provincial legislature.

I can’t think of any other suitable candidates for the Transport and Public Works portfolio, but if I had to randomly pick any it would probably include Wiley or Rodney Lentit.

I have a strong feeling that Lentit will be included in the cabinet and might even be given Sport and Cultural Affairs, if he’s not considered Albert Fritz might get this ministry.

There is also the possibility that Lentit be given the Education Ministry, but I doubt Donald Grant will be shifted out of this portfolio.

I feel Anton Bredell is likely to return to Local Government and Development Planning, but he might be given the Transport and Publics portfolio and Schafer might score the Local Government and Development Planning portfolio.

I decided to also play around with a few other key positions in the legislature.

My first choice for Speaker of the provincial legislature is Basil Kivedo. But Piet Pretorius, who briefly served as Deputy Speaker might become Speaker and Kivedo his deputy. Should Kivedo be given a ministry, Nomafrench Mbombo might be given the deputy speaker position.

I suspect that Anroux Marais might be the new Chief Whip, but should they not become part of the executive council Schafer and Kivedo (in that order) will also be strong contenders.

Should she not be the Chief Whip, Marais will probably be Caucus Chair again. Kivedo and Schafer would also be good candidates for Caucus Chair, but so would Pretorius and even Sharna Fernandez.

So here is my three list:

Helen Zille: Premier

Ivan Meyer: Social Development

Bonginkosi Madikizela: Human Settlements

Theuns Botha: Health

Gesie van Deventer: Agriculture

Anton Bredell: Local Government & Development Planning or Transport & Public Works

Rodney Lentit: Sport & Cultural Affairs or Transport & Public Works

Debbie Schafer: Community Safety or Transport & Public Works

Basil Kivedo: Speaker or Agriculture or Caucus Chair

Anroux Marais: Chief Whip or Caucus Chair

Mark Wiley: Transport & Public Works or Community Safety

Alan Winde: Finance, Economic Development & Tourism

Donald Grant: Education

Piet Pretorius: Deputy Speaker or Speaker

Sharna Fernandez: Caucus Chair

It's Time South Africa

Ke Nako South Africa!

Time for 25million+ to arise on 7May and make that all important X - choosing a political party in whose manifesto you believe and who you want to deliver on promises made. Choosing a political party to represent you in the National and Provincial Legislatures.

 

Once voting is done on Wednesday 7May, we will have to live with our collective decision on who will lead us as a nation and in our nine provinces. After the X, we can't say I didn't vote, but should help make our democracy work!

 

Vote with pride and use your vote wisely – I know I will!

 

I hold my ballot paper in my and I stand alone in the ballot box, I will hold my breath for a while and think that no matter how imperfect the democratic process might be, it is a privilege to vote!

 

Although Zuma, Zille, JuJu, Terror, Buthulezi, Kenny, Zanele, Godi, the Mulders & Mamphela might come to mind, I will think of Tata Madiba, Oliver Tambo, Walter and Albertina Sisulu, Helen Suzman, Frederick van Zyl-Slabbert, Dullah Omar, Kader Asmal and the many many others who had to pay the prize for me to enjoy the responsibility to vote!

 

I will think of freedom...

Freedom of expression, of speech, of the press and of association. I will think of human rights, judicial independence and the rule of law. I will think of the rights of minorities of celebrating ethnic diversity and dream of social cohesion. I will think of poverty, social ills such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, HIV & Aids and even the stigma against my LGBTI-friends.

 

I will also think of peace and hope that you too will use you vote wisely.

 

Hopefully now you will understand when I say, it will take me more than 5minutes just to make an X in a box!

 

Enjoy the responsibility to vote!

 

Vote with pride and walk out of the polling station knowing that you did the right thing.

 

It is all about the cross!!!