Metrorail not always to blame

November 2015 will be known as the worst three weeks for Metrorail since the double derailment at the beginning of 2014. Early in November the rail operator announced a section of the Northern Line would be closed for critical maintenance work to be done. 

Ten hours before that section was due to open, I asked - on the WhatsApp group that I have since been removed from – if maintenance work is still on schedule. I was told a section manager is on duty. 

At 9pm I cautioned Metrorail – in the Whatsapp group – that there is no way a normal service would operate that Monday morning and that all possible contingency measures be put in place without any delay.

Sadly and to the biggest inconvenience of thousands of commuters, Metrorail only realised that Monday morning, too late, trains will be delayed. The failure by Metrorail to act sooner and implement better contingency measures led to not only everyone arriving late at work, but many students unable to write their exams.

I wrote to Transport Minister Dipuo Peters stating that the continuous errors are unacceptable. “My email is not a plea to discuss matters in a boardroom but to implement solutions and take action without any delay”. I also asked the minister to request a detailed report and if it shows any wrong doing corrective action being taken. Now this is where I commend the minister for her speedy response and for requesting that report from Prasa. I wish to also apologize to the Prasa Group CEO and Metrorail Regional Manager for changing the agenda of their scheduled meeting.

Thursday 12^th November, Regional Manager, Richard Walker, took two trains with me. Even though he travelled undercover to assess the service for himself, the RM also engaged with commuters. While we both agree it is wrong and dangerous, as a commuter himself he understands why some commuters would keep a train door open. He understands why people smoke on a platform but says Metrorail cannot disobey the law of the country that smoking in public is illegal.

Our second train was delayed by a few minutes and in the ten minutes we were at the station there were no announcements. The Regional Manager called the Acting Customer Service HOD to inform him there are no announcements. He also questioned electronic boards not working, why loud hailers are not used and other issues – some of which have been addressed and solutions implemented, like platform 1 being used at Bellville.

Walker says for some things there are explanations but Metrorail should be honest about the service and not make excuses for it. Communication and customer service is not negotiable; these are things that should be in place. On the train itself we walked through the carriages, with Walker making mental notes since he arrived at the departure station. And to those wondering: yes he bought a ticket at his start station and handed it in at the destination station.

Sadly the rest of the Regional Manager’s management team does not see the importance of them taking a train and engaging with commuters when the service is critical and commuters experience massive delays.

The minister has since received her report and I have been shared some of the content. 

The massive delays the past three weeks is thanks to Transnet who take forever to do maintenance. 

Transnet has not prioritized maintenance work to be done between Paarl and Kraaifontein, repairing vandalism and stolen cables. Have to state though Transnet being centralised is the reason for the delay. One should welcome the maintenance done at Bellville but criticize Transnet for not communicating with Metrorail. 

Had there been better communication between the two SOE’s that Sunday afternoon, things would not have been chaotic the Monday morning.

While Transnet should be held accountable for this month’s chaos, minister Peters and her Public Enterprises counterpart, Lynn Brown, can apply corrective measures. They can do this by approving the transfer of the lines from Bellville to Wellington and Bellville to Strand from Transnet to Metrorail. This will allow Metrorail to not wait on Transnet but do repairs without any delay.

On the interim the solution is what I identified and suggested more than a year ago: better communication to commuters, different Metrorail departments to work together and communicate better and for better communicate to, with and from Transnet. Note the latter should come from Ministerial level and not regional level.

Currently goods trains get preference between Wellington and Bellville and this have on many occasions led to delays of commuter trains when the goods trains fail in section.

Things that neither Metrorail/Prasa nor Transnet will admit though is that money speaks and Transnet will get preference as they generate more income than Prasa – even if every single person in the overcrowded train have a valid ticket.

So what is the solution? Government will have to decide what is more important: freight or people. What should be kept in mind when answering the question is that the thousands of commuters on trains contribute towards the economy and every minute many of us are late, not only do we lose out on income but our employers lose out on production and the economy ultimately suffers.

Metrorail is not always to blame, but Metrorail should take responsibility for their customers and account.

Is dit tyd dat #GuyFawkesMustFall?

’n Week gelede is Guy Fawkes weer met talle vuurwerk gevier.

Ek kan egter nie help om te wonder hoekom word die dag in Suid-Afrika gevier nie.

Ek het ’n paar mense probeer vra en die antwoord was by almal maar min of meer dieselfde: “Ons doen dit nog al die jare so.” Maar nou hoekom iets doen waaroor ons kla en ’n klomp geld wegskiet?

My vriend, Google, vertel my dat Guy Fawkes-dag ’n jaarlikse herdenking is wat op 5 November veral in Groot Brittanje gevier word. Die dag dateer terug na 1605 toe dit ’n openbare vakansiedag daardie kant van die water geword het om ’n mislukte moordpoging op Koning James I te vier.

Suid-Afrika is nou wel een van die Statebondslande en daar is talle van ons landsburgers in Brittanje.

Maar is dit dan nou nog ’n rede vir ons om elke jaar “bonfire” te hou?

So bietjie meer as twee dekades gelede was ek ook kind en het ons ook vuurwerk geskiet.

In my kinderjare het ons ook honde gehad en dié was ook bang vir die klappers.

Kyk ons so 20 na 25 jaar in die toekoms, dan moet ons erken in 2015 het die bevolking gegroei.

Waar voorheen dalk ’n oop veld in ons buurt was, is nou huise en anders as toe ek ’n tjokker was, het klappers gevaarliker geraak.

In my dag was ons gelukkig met ’n klapper-stringetjie en dit was vinniger verby as wat jy gesukkel het om dit aan die brand te kry.

Ons het ook sulke klein wit bomme gehad en die goed het net geraas gemaak as dit voor jou voete gegooi word. Dan is daar die sterretjie, maar ek sien dit word deesdae by ’n bekende eetplek gebruik as jy verjaar.

Ons was nie as kinders toegelaat om die groot klappers, soos ons dit geken het, te koop nie. Die man by die winkel het jou baie mooi gesê gaan kry jou ma of pa en dan het Ouma maar saam gegaan.

Ons kon ook nie die groot klappers self skiet nie. ’n Volwasse persoon moes ons daarmee help, want jy gaan seerkry. En dan het ons maar met die wit bomme en klapper-stringetjies gespeel en gewag.

Tye het verander en vandag se kind wil alles self doen en daai kind gaan sukkel tot wat gedoen moet word, reg gedoen is.

Die kind in my is nie gekant teen klappers nie, maar wel die onverantwoordelikheid wat saam met dit gaan.

Dat vuurwerk iets mooi kan wees, is iets waarmee ek gaan saamstem. Maar voorvalle van kinders wat op Guy Fawkes dag brandwonde opgedoen het, was twee dekades aansienlik minder as vandag. Op die vooraand van Guy Fawkes dag vanjaar het ’n seuntjie homself baie lelik beseer.

Talle mense het ook brandwonde op hul hande opgedoen as gevolg van klappers. Ek het ook op Guy Fawkes-dag gehoor van iemand wat buite sy woning vermoor is, die mense binne die huis was onder die indruk dit is net klappers wat geskiet word.

Die prys van die klappers is ook nie meer wat dit was nie. Ek kon destyds van ’n R1 ’n boksie wit bomme koop. Nou gaan ek seker meer as R10 moet uitgee net vir gewone klappers.

Dit laat my wonder, afgesien van die veiligheidsaspek, is dit dan nog bekostigbaar om klappers te skiet. Ironies genoeg val Guy Fawkes in die tydperk van matriekafskeid – en dan praat ek nie eens van “breaking-up” by die werk nie. Dan is daar ook nog die registrasie by skole vir die volgende jaar en sommige begin aankope doen vir Kersfees.

Een van die goeie dinge van Guy Fawkes is dat dit my leer wie is regtig diereliefhebbers. En het nooit geweet so baie van my vriende, wat nie eens ’n hond het nie, gee om vir honde. Talle van my vriende op sosiale media was ook baie uitgesproke oor #GuyFawkesMustFall, maar nou wonder ek hoeveel van ons vertel ons geliefdes van die gevare van die klappers en hoeveel van ons gaan skiet dit by afgebakende gebiede?

Twee dekades gelede was ek gelukkig met R20 se klappers. Ek twyfel sterk of jy nou gaan wegkom met minder as R100 se klappers.

Dit maak dat ek myself dan weer vra, is dit nog bekostigbaar om Guy Fawkes te vier?

• Hierdie rubriek het oorspronklik in Paarl Post van Donderdag 12 November 2015 verskyn

#FeesMustFall Statement by some Mandela Washington Fellows, South Africa

At this important moment in our country's evolution, when young South Africans have once again been forced to put their lives on the line in the precincts of the people’s house – the National Assembly - to maintain critical access to education, the signatories to this statement wish to make clear our strongest support for the #FeesMustFall and #NationalShutDown campaign sweeping across university campuses and South Africa.

Far too many will dismiss the campaigns and the scenes outside Parliament as unacceptable student behaviour without fully appreciating the underlying issues the movement represents. 

The real issue confronting South Africa is that we live in the most unequal society and yet we treat education – the great leveller - as a privilege for the few. 

Our young students, denied of a hearing, of kept promises, of leadership, and without a clear path out of marginalisation as education is put further away from them, are now forced to risk life and limb for a basic constitutional right, a right that could help the nation become what we want it to be. Denying them an education by increasing fees without concurrently implementing a viable solution is to deny the country its richest resource – a skilled and educated population.

We stand in solidarity and express our support to the students across the country in their struggle to access the right to quality education in transformed higher education institutions.

We support student contestation around the cost of study but we are aware of the many competing and all equally urgent needs (and some comprehensive responses already in place to respond to them such as free basic education, free health care and the largest public HIV/AIDS programme in the world, pensions to senior citizens, disability and child grants, to mention just a few.

Accordingly, in order to meaningful confront this issue, we call on the development of a new funding model and substantially more civic and citizen involvement to ensure that fees are more affordable and thus allow access to higher education.  We will also seek to contribute to this important discussion and lead with young South Africans to confront these issues honestly and openly.

In addition, we strongly condemn the excessive force used by the South African Police Services as well as by private security firms against what has in large been a demonstration by unarmed and peaceful young students who are calling for change. We note the accusations that have arisen that police are directing excessive force at black students and in some instances, none at white students.  The Apartheid-style tactics and brutality exacted on students cannot be permitted to continue. We urge the authorities to carefully investigate these claims.

Education should never be a privilege.  Education is a basic right afforded to all South Africans by our Constitution.  Too many South Africans are locked out of the system because it has become unaffordable.  Education is a public service and it should be subsidised to allow access and affordability.  If we fix the system our nation will enjoy added opportunity and improved socio-economic conditions as our young will be better able to compete in a globalised environment.

Issued and signed by:

Andrew Ihsaan Gasnolar, Khanyi Magubane, Buhle Mabaso, Rethabile Mashale-Sonibare, Christopher Vuba, Mpho Majenge, Mhlanganisi Madlongolwana, Kgomotso Tabane, INkosi Sbonelo N. Mkhize, Amukelani Mayimele, Noluthando Duma, Lebohang Selloane, Nhlamulo Mabasa, Shane Vermooten, Khayakazi Namfu, Amy Shelver, Lynette Ntuli, Faith Mangope, Yossi Hasson, Murendi Mafuno, Makuya Lalumbe, Russell Xitshembhiso Mulamula, Justin Beswick, Ryno Alsander De Water, Cathy Mohlahlana, Zibu Mthiyane, Pearl Pillay, Lebogang Mokwena, Bongi Ndakisa, Gillion Bosman, Andile Biyela, Sam Beckbessinger, Nangamso Koza, Mbali Ntuli, Paul Galatis, Danielle Manuel, Mabutho Mthembu, Sara Hallatt, Peter Malatji.

Where is the Faith

At first I found it extremely entertaining to read that there are some individuals who describe Pick n Pay’s – very annoying – Stikeez satanic.

To add to this there are those who say the Charlie-Charlie-game is demonic, with some “victims” of Charlie claiming to have seen the small demon that ruined their lives.

My initial reaction to both was to laugh, but then I sat still and my conservative-self questioned my liberal-self: do we really have so little faith, in ourselves and our creator to believe anything and almost everything is satanic?

I got to answer myself that some individuals will find everything satanic if it does not say Amen Hallelujah to their liking.

Stikeez are not the first toy – nor will it be the last – we also had the Pokemon chips and they were not only way more exciting to play with and collect, they were also cheaper. 

Instead of spending R150 or more at the shop to get one Stikeez, for the Pokemon chips you only had to buy a packet of chips for R1,50 and like a surprise bag in it you get a pokemon.

Charlie is also not the first game to be called demonic, and it won’t be the last. Ironically enough 20 years there was also Pinky. Now I can’t recall everything, but vaguely remember some fellow students telling me Pinky is going to kill us and that I was scared for days. Writing this and thinking about it, reminds me of how silly I was to believe those stories. There was no media coverage for Pinky, and if someone actually died because of it, Riaan Cruywagen and Mariette Kruger would surely have told us in those days…

Back to Stikeez and Charlie……

I did some reading on the Charlie-Charlie game and watched a documentary one afternoon, where someone from the KwaZulu-Natal Science Centre gave a really good scientific answer to the game.

It thus makes me wonder why Charlie cannot just be a game. Why can’t Stikeez just be a toy for kids?

Do we really have so little faith, that we only see [make everything] negative?

Considering almost 80% of South Africa’s 54 million citizens are Christians I expected my fellow Christians to have a little more faith than to classify everything that does not look like an angle as satanic with demonic powers.

Metrorail not [really] the bad guy

I have been following the closure of Gouda station like a hawk and those saying Metrorail deliberately made Worcester train not stop at Gouda station is misleading.

The fact is that the Railway Safety Regulator issued PRASA with a Prohibition Directive to suspend station operations at Gouda Station. The most important thing of this closure is that it comes after a complaint by a member of the public was lodged. This shows the power we as commuters do indeed hold.

Metrorail Western Cape received information of the directive less than 60 minutes before that train had to depart Cape Town station. 

I am personally aware that arrangements were made late that evening to ensure that buses and staff be available at the affected station. My concern that buses not move from Gouda to Wellington – as initially communicated – but still stop at the four stations in between was also addressed and implemented the next morning.

 

Prasa has meanwhile reacted stating that work at the station will start in January 2016. 

Now with the recently released Public Protector “Derailed” report on Prasa one should be relieved that there is money in the current financial year to make the improvements. Apart from the health hazard, our concern should be the four/five buses currently used to transport the ± 200 commuters between Gouda and Wellington - that must still stop at the four stations in between.

I reckon Metrorail is unable to sustain the operating of these buses until upgrades at Gouda station is completed in (for arguments sake) April/May 2016. Important to note Metrorail already has a limited number of buses available, plus there is a similar situation playing itself out on the Southern Line, although the effect is much lesser on those commuters.

Monday 7 September buses had to go from Gouda to Vlottenberg/Stellebosch because of the technical problem there and I know Metrorail tried their very best to get it there as soon as possible. But let's face the reality Metrorail will not always be able to recover the service within two hours, as was the case on 7 September.

So how did the RSR get to their decision and why are commuters from Gouda not informed? Well the Railway Safety Inspectors did an inspection on 26 April 2013. As a result of the inspection, an Improvement Directive was issued. The investigation highlighted that:

• The height of the passenger platform in use on the eastern side of Gouda station does not conform to the prescribed passenger platform specifications.
• There are no shelters and ablution facilities to cater for commuters on the passenger/commuter platform.
• Platform surface is in a very poor condition and has big hole which poses a hazard to commuters.
• Fence around the station is in a poor condition and that makes the station vulnerable to people accessing the station without authority or/and valid tickets (trespassers).
• Platform was very dark due to insufficient lighting at the station.

PRASA’s response was that Gouda Station was a Transnet Freight Rail owned station and leased to PRASA and therefore they can do very little to address the threats. According to their agreement Gouda Station is solely used by commuters. 

Although PRASA lease the station, it is PRASA's responsibility to implement and adhere to all safety laws, codes, standards and regulations to ensure safe railway operations.

It is indeed true that Prasa has done very little to address the issues highlighted and therefor the directive was given and is effective immediately. 

The directive will only be revoked when PRASA has satisfactorily demonstrated to the RSR that the immediate threats no longer exist.

In my opinion the Railway Safety Regulator was not fair towards Metrorail – who now looks like the bad guys. Even if Metrorail Western Cape received that directive earlier it would still not be enough notice period to say a station should close. It also raises another thing: when the RSR said immediate effect, what exactly was meant, as this gave Metrorail no time to communicate to commuters.

'n Dag maak jou nie 'n Christen nie

Die tweede helfte van die jaar het onlangs begin en almal gaan nou begin voorberei vir Kersfees, maar nou loop gerugte dat diè se dae ook getel is. Dit is egter nie die eerste keer dat daar gerugte is van pogings om Kersfees en Paasfees te skrap nie. Hierdie is al sedert die vroeë 2000’s ’n besprekingspunt en die onlangse blik wurms is oopgemaak sonder die nodige navorsing – en indien dit wel gedoen is, is dit nie gedeel nie.
Die belangrikste om te weet is dat daar tans geen poging deur die regering is om Christelike vakansiedae of van dit te skrap nie.
Die gerugte kom na aanleiding van ’n besprekingsdokument deur die Suid-Afrikaanse regshervormingskommissie aan die departement van binnelandse sake. Dit is egter belangrik om eers te verstaan dat die kommissie se taak is om die Suid-Afrikaanse grondwet te hersien deur wetgewing of dele van wetgewing te identifiseer en aan te beveel wat geskrap of gewysig moet word, wat strydig is met die gelykheidsbepaling in die Grondwet, wat verouderd of oortollig is.
Dis belangrik om te weet dat die kommissie geen magte het om wetgewing te verander nie, daarvoor het ons die wetgewers met hul eie prosesse.
Die wet op openbare vakansiedae word op bladsy 56 van die besprekingsdokument vir algemene inligting en insette bespreek en die kommissie beveel aan “dat aangesien daar ’n element van ongelyke behandeling is, moet die afdeling hersien word. Daar word ook voorgestel dat òf hierdie dae word hersien, òf gelyke gewig word gegee aan geestelike vakansies van ander gelowe.”
Iets wat ons dalk gou vergeet is dat die Christelike geloof in die twaalf bestaande openbare vakansiedae ingesluit is en sluit nie geestelike dae van onder andere die Moslem, Joodse, Bahá’í en ander gelowe van mede Suid-Afrikaners in nie.
Na my beskeie mening is ons openbare vakansiedae vir ’n demokrasie dus baie ongelyk en diskrimineer ons indirek teenoor ons bure, vriende en familie wat ’n ander geloof as ek dien.
Ek is ’n Christen, wat volgens streng konserwatiewe geestelike waardes groot gemaak is, tog as Christen, wat die woord van liefde versprei en glo in gelykheid, ondersteun ek die hersiening ten volle.
Dit was nie nodig om te gaan sit en dink wat as die Christelike vakansiedae tans op die kalender ’n ander geloof was, hoe sou ek as Christen voel en sou ek dit wou verander?
Ek wonder wel hoeveel van diegene wat ontsteld is, die afgelope ses maande elke week in ’n kerk was of hoeveel is net in ’n kerkdiens op Goeie Vrydag en Kersfees?
So, skrap ons Kersfees en Paasfees, of voeg ons Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, Yom Kippur, Makar Sankranti en ’n paar ander by die twaalf dae wat ons het?
Ek sal ten gunste stem van ’n vakansiedag vir Rastafariërs, Jode, Muslim en talle ander gelowe, maar wanneer ons besluit oor die vakansiedae is dit belangrik om onsself te herinner hoe meer vakansiedae, hoe minder produksiedae om by te dra tot die ekonomie van die land – wat kan en gaan lei tot erger nagevolge. Moet ekonomiese groei nie liefs ons doel wees, om ons land te verbeter, geleenthede te skep vir ons nageslag, pleks van meer vakansiedae te maak?
Hetsy Paasfees, Kersfees, Eid Al-Fitr, Yom Kippur of enige ander geestelike dag nou in die Wet op Openbare Vakansiedae verskyn al dan nie, beteken ook tog nie jy het nie die reg om dit te vier nie.
Om te preek vind tog sekerlik nie net tussen die vier mure van ’n gebou op ’n Sondag, Goeie Vrydag en Kersfees plaas nie, maar elke dag en nie net in woord nie, maar ook in daad?
Die wat ernstig is oor geloof sal getrou wees aan hul waardes en dit saam met hul geloof uitleef – ongeag ’n openbare vakansiedag.
En ja, 79% van Suid-Afrikaners is Christene, maar om die dag as openbare vakansiedag of nie te hê, maak jou nie minder of meer van ’n Christen nie.

• Oorspronklike het in Paarl Post van Donderdag 30 Julie 2015 verskyn as 'n Dag maak jou nie 'n Christen nie.

Faith needs no Public Holiday

The second half of the year has just began and it is downhill towards the festive season, but now rumours started to emerge that Christmas and Easter days might be numbered. It is not the first time such rumours have been circulating, and honestly it will not be the last. This has been a discussion point or attempted discussion point since the early 2000’s (in the past there were also protest against this) and the recent opening of a can of worms is all thanks to The Herald in May 2015 – subsequently leading to a few other media outlets jumping on the bandwagon – without doing the necessary research and if they did, it was not included in the article.

So let’s state the fact that there is currently no attempt by the current government to scrap Christian holidays or even some of it.

The latest rumour comes following a discussion document by the South African Law Reform Commission to the department of Homes Affairs.

It is however important to know that the SALRC is tasked with revising the South African statute book by identifying and recommending for repeal or amendment of legislation or provisions in legislation that are inconsistent with the equality clause in the Constitution, are redundant or obsolete. Also note that the commission has no power to change any legislation, for that we have the legislator.

The SALRC did release a discussion paper that is administered by the department of Home Affairs, for general information and comment and part of the document – on page 56 – the Public Holiday’s Act is discussed and the commission recommends to the department “that since there is an element of unequal treatment, the section should be reviewed. It is also suggested that either these holidays be reviewed or that equal weight be given to religious holiday of other faiths”.

With the above said I find it mind boggling anyone would come to the conclusion that there is a recommendation that religious holidays be cancelled.

Something we so easily forget is that only the Christian religion is included in the twelve existing public holidays, excluding important religious days for the Islam-, Jewish-, Bahá’í- and other religions.

Apart from the twelve days, the Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994) determines that whenever any public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be a public holiday. From time to time the President of the Republic is generous and we get once-off Public Holidays like with a General election and on:

• 31 December 1999 and 2 and 3 January 2000,

• 2 May 2008

• 27 December 2008

Taking all the above into consideration, then yes our Public Holidays are unequal for a democracy and we discriminating against our neighbours, friends and family who serve a different religion.

I am a Christian, having and still continue to play an active role within my church and grew up with strict conservative religious values. Thus as a Christian who spread the word of love and believe that we are all equal I fully support the call for the review of our public holidays as per the Public Holiday’s Act of 1994.

Before I’m stoned for being a Christian turning on my Christian values – take a second and think what if those current Christian holiday’s on the calendar were any other religion, how would you as Christian have felt and how badly would you have wanted it to change?

How many of those who appear upset over this, attended church every single Sunday the past six months, or are they amongst those who only attend church on Good Friday and Christmas?

Yes 79% of South Africans are Christians but a day being declared a public holiday or not does not make you more or less a Christian.

Whether Easter and/or Christmas appear on the Public Holidays Act does not mean you will not have the right to celebrate it.

I am a Christian who believes preaching should not just happen between the four walls of a building on a Sunday, Good Friday and Christmas morning, but preaching is everyday with not only our words but our actions.

A true Christian is one who remains committed to his/her values and live their faith – irrespective of public holidays.

A critics delay?

I recently took a great interest in a newspaper announcing they would be monitoring Metrorail trains in the Western Cape – interest was not only because I have build and still attempt to build a good relationship with Metrorail, but also because I’ve been criticizing them for about four years.

Commuters were advised to use #metroraildiaries on Twitter, so I scanned this hashtag and there were not even five tweets from commuters and less than 10 from three of the journalist who took a train - (excluding mine). What I find disturbing is that there was the assumption if “we take a train, we would understand and can share the frustration of commuters”. Being a commuter myself I can say it takes more than a 30 minute journey to understand the frustration of commuters.

If my media colleagues regularly took a train during peak time, they would understand the real frustration of commuters. Had they engaged with Metrorail Western Cape they would also have learned why trains are delayed and what the different delays mean.

From the article, I have to raise the following:

• They mention security preventing to take photos: so why not ask where the station manager or supervisor is and as journalists why not inform Metrorail’s Communications manager about this?
• They mention announcements were made, but fail to mention what the announcements stated on why trains were delayed.
• One of the journalist mentions about being surprised a train is on time: how do you know the train is on time and why not happy that it is on time?
• Another journalist took a train after 8am, now even though Metrorail’s morning peak ends at 9, any regular commuter knows majority of people take train between 05:30 and 07:45 and it is very rare that you will have an overcrowded train after 8.

What I find sad about the article is that there was despite a “my experience”, no research but a one-sided story. 

They mention no attempt to make contact with Metrorail, nor did they test @CapeTownTrains on Twitter, notice updates is posted on Facebook and they fail to mention thousands of commuters are registered for Metrorail’s SMS system.

Metrorail’s service is far from perfect, but is it not better to become a stakeholder that criticize as oppose to a critic that adds to the delay?

Metrorail gets revenue and commuters?

Metrorail on 12 June 2015 decided to drop the bombshell and announce their intention to increase ticket prices from July 1^st. 

Now this came as no surprise to me as I was engaged prior to this announcement but I also knew last year it was coming – in fact I’ve known for the past 5 years.

Before I try and become harsh on Metrorail for the increase, let me first try and be objective and share the following that comparing to 2014 there has been some of improvement: 

• Speed restrictions that were imposed early last year have been lifted at most of the sections.
• Morning and even evening cancelled trains came down from 14/15 at a time to three/four (not ideal but it is an improvement).
• Security is my biggest concern and with Metrorail not immune to social challenges, there has been an increase in guards on trains – again not what it should be but an improvement. The challenge now is to get the railway police back on our trains, preferably times and areas most vulnerable.

Why the increase:

Besides the obvious fact that everything is increasing, Metrorail for three/four years had no fare increase and this led to a 16% increase when they eventually had to implement one (something I as a commuter would not want again). The then management made a commitment towards commuters to never place such a huge burden on them again, but to do that annual increases are needed.

Maybe worth mentioning that it is Prasa and not Metrorail who decide on fare prices, although Metrorail gives input. Also worth mentioning that following last year’s outcry, for the first time, the minister of transport this year wanted to see the fare increases and Prasa had to justify them – she is yet to sign off on them.

 

Metrorail is like any other business and a household, who has to make money to survive. With the announcement the Regional Manager stated they taking a pro-poor pricing strategy for weekly and monthly ticket prices. This means Metro-users (third class) pay for only 6.5 trips per week but have the option of 14 trips including weekends. Metro monthly tickets are priced at 3.1 weeks travel but your ticket allows you to travel for 4weeks.

Considering old assets beyond their design life, obsolete technology and extensive open system vulnerable to vandalism, land invasion, service protests and vagrancy that contribute to the maintenance burden – yes an increase is needed.

Expectation:

Ideally I would have wanted the transport minister to ask Treasury and public enterprises for a bigger cut of the pie and joint venture to fast-track the improvement of our old rail infrastructure.

Seeing as train tracks beyond Stikland and most of the tracks beyond Kuilsriver on the Northern Line belong to Transnet, I would also expect the transport and public enterprises ministers to be bold enough to transfer those tracks to Metrorail to ensure better service, as their hands are currently tied. 

Having said that too many freight trains operate in commuter peak-time and even though goods trains bring in more revenue than commuter trains, the two ministers can make a decision for freight trains not to operate in commuter peak – as the past year have seen too many of them fail in section leading to commuter trains being delayed for up to three hours.

What Metrorail cannot ignore:

Metrorail’s biggest challenge remains customer service communication – I comfort myself with the fact that the Regional Manager not only understands the importance of this but also the frustration of thousands of commuters and is trying his best to make sure this is being addressed. 

It is also comforting to know the Regional Manager occasionally takes a train “undercover” and addresses issues like no announcements, electronic boards that are off, etc.

Metrorail has stated the fare increase is unavoidable. Let’s be honest so is train cancellations, delays, vandalism, defective tracks, trains failing in-section (I do hope and pray though no derailment) the next few months, and thus should proactive communication also be unavoidable.

It is highly unlikely that there will be no increase, so it should be highly unlikely there should be an hour with no customer communication (should be comforting for the tech savvy to know we still have GoMetro and @CapeTownTrains to keep us informed - last mentioned made some major improvements past few months and should be deployed to assist the struggling Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal regions)

Metrorail is going to get their revenue (with the increase), so now us commuters should get better more proactive customer service communication.

Ouma se drie lesse

Liewe Ouma

Dit is vandag (12 Junie 2015) presies twee jaar dat God besluit het jy is ‘n sonneblom wat hy meer nodig het in sy tuin. Ek het lank gedink daaroor om Ouma graf te besoek, maar voel dit is ‘n plek waar ons blomme kan gaan opsit – as ek Ouma mis kyk ek na ons foto saam op my bedkassie en as ek met Ouma wil praat kan ek bid – want ek dra Ouma en al die herinerringe in my hart.

Die vermisting is groot en daar is soms nog trane. So nou en dan mik ek om te bel en dan besef ek daar gaan niemand antwoord nie. As ons vandag moes praat sou Ouma soos altyd vra hoe gaan dit met al die kleinkinders en ek sou moes jok en sê hulle is okay. Ek dink nie ons is almal okay nie, maar Ouma het my geleer en gevra om biddend te bly en soos Ouma vertrou ek op Liewe Jesus.

Ek het onlangs ou foto’s gekyk en daar was een van my en my susters met altwee ons (nou wyle) ouma’s. Dit is die enigste foto in sy soort waarvan ek weer en dit nogal my sesde verjaarsdag. Ek dink soms aan die ou sorglose dae en het ook agtergekom ek sê deesdae meer gereeld my Ouma het altyd gesê of my Ouma het my geleer...

Ek dink baie aan wat Ouma my daai laaste oggend gevra het en voel ek misluk soms, maar herinner my daaraan dat gebed dra krag en dat ek moet vertrou in God met dit wat ek vra.

‘n Jaar gelede het ek onthou hoe Ouma my eenkeer genoem het hoekom gaan studeer ek nie teologie nie en by ‘n ander geleentheid het Ouma my herineer om ‘n boodskap oor te dra en ander te motiveer hoef jy soms nie ‘n dominee te wees nie. Ek weet Ouma is gelukkig dat ek my skepper ken en dat ek altyd onthou my hulp kom van die Here wat hemel en aarde gemaak het.

Vandag soos ek weer rou oor daardie dag, twee jaar gelede, klou ek aan die drie lesse wat Ouma my geleer het

(1) Psalm 23 v.1 “Die Here is my Herder, ek kom niks kort nie”

(2) Waardes en beginsels is belangrik en geld kan dit nie koop nie. Bly by dit en glo en vertrou

(3) Gebed dra krag.

Wees oor niks besorg nie

FILIPPENSE 4:6: Moet oor niks besorg wees nie, maar maak in alles jul begeertes deur gebed en smeking en met danksegging aan God bekend.

Jesus sê aan ons om oor niks bekommerd te wees nie. Hy noem ons moet sien dat God selfs vir die wilde voëls en die veldlelies sorg en dat hy ook vir ons sal sorg.

Maar daar is tog ook tye van droogte en dan vrek baie voëls wat nie genoeg kos het nie en lelies blom nie.

Gee Christus se optrede dan maar nie aanleiding tot roekelose en ondeurdagte optrede deur ons nie?

Sou jy besluit om Jesus se woorde ter harte te neem, beteken dit dan nie dat jy ook nie voorsiening vir jou oudag hoef te maak nie?

Jesus moedig ons egter nie met dié woorde aan om onverskillig en roekeloos op te tree of om lui te wees nie.

Die mense wat na Jesus geluister het, het tog geweet dat voëls nie lui is nie.

’n Voël sit immers nie op ’n tak en wag tot die wurm eendag in sy bek sal val nie.

Jesus gebruik nie die voëls en lelies as simbole vir ons om na te streef nie. Dit is bloot ’n simbool van God se sorg vir ons. Dit is totaal en al irrelevant dat droogtes en gebrek aan water en kos ook voëls en lelies kan tref, maar Jesus wil ons met die simbole net daarop wys dat ons nie aardse dinge moet najaag nie.

Dit is beter om net raak te sien op watter wyse God vir die natuur sorg. Die voëls is tog nie besig om oorboord te gaan met hul arbeid nie.

Ons hoef ons ook nie af te sloof om in ver meer as ons behoeftes te voorsien nie. Die vers sê ook aan ons om ons nie onnodig te bekommer oor môre en oormôre nie.

Ons kan die vers lees as ’n opdrag van Jesus en nie net advies aan ons nie. As ons, ons gaan loop en bekommer, sê ons daardeur indirek ons glo nie God is volkome in beheer van ons omstandighede nie.

Iemand het eenkeer die stelling gemaak: “Wys my jou lys bekommernisse en ek sê jou hoe groot jou God is. Hoe langer jou lys, hoe kleiner jou God.”

Bekommernis demp jou vreugde. Dit gee jou iets om te doen, maar bring jou nêrens. Die beste teenmiddel wat ons teen bekommernisse het, is gebed.

Ons lees tog om oor niks besorg te wees nie, maar dat ons alles in gebed aan God bekend moet maak.

Daar is buitendien niks wat kan gebeur wat God nie tot ons voordeel kan omkeer nie. 

• Hierdie het oorspronklik in Son op Sondag van 5 Oktober 2014 verskyn

Our values will guide us to victory

Speech was delivered by Mmusi Maimane MP, after being announced as the newly elected DA Federal Leader.

Video of Announcement

Friends, colleagues, fellow Democrats, Bagaetsho, Dumelang. 

It is wonderful to be here in the Eastern Cape, my ancestral home. Ndizalwa yintombi yakwaMaduna, OoGubevu, OoJiyane, OoTiba kumandla waseCofimvaba

The great South African novelist Nadine Gordimer once said: “A truly living human being cannot remain neutral.” 

I guess that’s why, when I look around this hall, I see so many people who are truly alive.

All of us are animated by the idea of building a better tomorrow. All of us carry the belief that, out of the ashes of apartheid, a prosperous and united South Africa can emerge. 

Sometimes we disagree with each other because we care so much about the future we want to build. And that is okay.

It is healthy for us to engage in robust debate. But, equally, there is no room in this party for those who seek to divide, or those who mobilise on race. 

We must challenge each other’s ideas in a constructive manner. For this is how we learn from each other and grow stronger. 

In this campaign, we have had debates on television, on radio and on the pages of newspapers.

We have crisscrossed the country to put forward our ideas and challenge the ideas of our opponents. 

In the process, we have shown South Africa what it means to be a truly democratic party, united in its diversity.

Our party remains strong, even when we disagree with each other, because it is built on a rock solid foundation of shared values. 

That’s what makes us different from other parties. We contest elections, and when they are over, we work together to fight our real enemies. Our real enemies are poverty, unemployment and inequality.

And so I want to say to all of you, whether or not you voted for me, let us unite today behind our shared values.

We are guided by our values. It is our values that unite us. And I want to tell you today: it is our values that will lead us to victory.

That is because we stand together with many South Africans who share the same set of values as us. 

The people who share our values cannot be defined by race or by class. They do not live in a particular part of the country. 

The people who share our values are the millions of people, from all backgrounds, who want to work hard, to provide for their families and to live in peace.

Our values can be summed up in these three words: 

Freedom, Fairness and Opportunity.

In a free society every individual has the freedom to make their own choices about the life they want to live. That is why we completely reject discrimination on the basis of race, gender and sexual orientation.

In a free society every person has the power to improve their lives, because freedom means nothing without opportunities. Every citizen must be given a chance to be the best they can be.

I know the difference that opportunity can make to a person’s life. 

Like many people living in Gauteng, my parents were migrant labourers who had come to eGoli in search of a better life.

My mother was raised in the Eastern Cape with her parents and 6 siblings. My father, landless and jobless, came from the former Bophuthatswana in the 1960s to settle in Kagiso on the West Rand. 

My parents worked hard to give us the opportunities they never had. I went to a state school in Roodeport and did well enough to get into university. 

I was lucky to be given these opportunities. And my parents were loving and supportive. They gave me the confidence to seize each opportunity that came my way.

They are here with me today. Mme le Papa, Ke A leboga. 

My parents have not always agreed with my political choices, but I know they are proud that I am in a party that opens up opportunities. A party that has today elected the child of a cashier as its Leader.

Not everybody I grew up with has had the same opportunities as me.

I have a cousin who, like me, grew up in Dobsonville. He was raised by a single mother who did her best to provide for the family on her very small income.

My cousin went to a school where the teachers often arrived late and sometimes not at all. Most of the kids never had textbooks, and there were no after-school activities to keep the kids off the streets. 

My cousin dropped out and never managed to get his matric.

He has been without work now for several years. As a consequence, he has been lured into a life of drug abuse and criminality. At the age of just twenty-five, he is unemployed. Worse than this, he is unemployable.

This is the tragic story of too many young South Africans. The hope and promise of 1994 has no meaning for them.

It is a fact that most young black South Africans continue to be denied access to opportunity, just as their parents were during apartheid.

This is what we must change if we are to succeed as a nation. As Democrats, we will work tirelessly to create a fairer society. 

A fair society is a more equal society. It is a society where every child, whether they are born in Soweto or Sandton, has the same chance of making a success of their lives.

A fair society is also a non-racial society. And I want to make it absolutely clear today that non-racialism does not mean being colour-blind. 

We cannot pretend that apartheid never happened. We cannot ignore the fact that apartheid was a system that defined us by the colour of our skin. 

It was a system that could put a pencil through your hair. A system that dictated where you could live, where you could work and who you could marry. 

These experiences shaped me, just like they shaped so many young black people of my generation. And that is why I simply don’t agree with those who say they don’t see colour. Because, if you don’t see that I’m black, then you don’t see me.

This doesn’t mean our skin colour must define us forever. The system of racial classification devised by Hendrik Verwoerd was evil and deplorable, and we cannot stay trapped in that way of thinking. 

We must triumph over the evil of apartheid by building a new bridge into a new future. We must not remain victims of our yesterday, we must believe in tomorrow. 

We can transcend race. But this can only happen if every South African acknowledges the injustices of apartheid; and it can only happen if we all recognise that the racial inequality of the past remains with us today.

And so we will stand firm on our commitment to implement policies that redress the legacy of the past. 

We will stay resolutely committed to a system of social security to protect people from extreme poverty.

Where we govern, we will continue to deliver high quality basic services such as water, electricity and sanitation.

We will focus on education because too many children still receive an inferior education, and we know that a good education is the foundation of a successful life. 

And, above all, we will push for measures to grow our economy and create jobs. 

Democrats, South Africans

Unemployment in South Africa stands at 36%. Of those who are unemployed, 66% are young people, just like my cousin. 

Democrats, we simply cannot go on like this. As a party we are quick to get angry about the sustained attack on our constitution and our institutions. But we must be equally angry at the insider-outsider economic policies that have trapped too many of our people in poverty for far too long.

We must structure the economy so that young people have opportunities to start small businesses, an economy where we leverage state owned enterprises as skills incubators by offering apprenticeships.  

We must move vigorously to roll out a youth wage subsidy that will encourage private enterprises to absorb young school leavers. This is essential so that they can access skills and knowledge to build successful careers. 

We need a job-creating labour regime where trade unions protect their members, but not at the expense of keeping unemployed people locked out of the economy.

On Friday I visited Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University here in Port Elizabeth. I met young people there who burn with ambition to create a better tomorrow for themselves. Like the students of Fort Hare, they are dreaming of a different future, and they are making a different choice.

They dream of a society where the children of domestic workers can go to university and emerge as teachers, lawyers and doctors. They want freedom that they can use. 

Freedom, fairness and opportunity. These are our values. 

They are the values that will guide us to victory because so many South Africans share them. 

These values will underscore the message of hope we will take to the nation in the coming years. 

We will show South Africa that, when Nelson Mandela died, his dream of a rainbow nation did not die with him. 

So let me quote the words of American writer Maya Angelou, who passed away shortly after our beloved Madiba.

She said:

“The thing to do, it seems to me, is to prepare yourself so you can be a rainbow in somebody else's cloud. Somebody who may not look like you. Who may not call God the same name you call God - if they call God at all. I may not dance your dances or speak your language. But be a blessing to somebody.” 

Democrats, we need to be a blessing to everybody.

We need to be able to connect with every South African who shares our values but does not yet vote for us.

We need to overcome racial, cultural, religious and economic barriers and build one nation, with one future. 

This was the journey that Tony Leon began in 1994. When he took over the DP, it was a tiny suburban party. But he managed to broaden the DA’s appeal to new voters, increasing the party’s support from 1.7% to 12% in just ten years.

When Helen Zille was elected just eight years ago, she promised to take this project to a whole level. It is worth recalling today what she said in her acceptance speech back in 2007:

“We must convince all South Africans that our party is truly a home for all the people. And to do that, we cannot merely tell them, we must show them.   We must not only welcome new members, but create opportunities for new leaders to emerge, so that our party looks and feels like the nation we want to lead.”

You just have to look around this hall to see that Helen achieved her objective. Her resolute commitment to diversify the party’s leadership, membership and support base was one of the reasons we were able to double our votes in her eight years as leader – from 1.9 million to just over 4 million.

Helen Zille. Siyabulela!

Democrats, the next part of the DA story still needs to be written. 

I want it to be the story of how the DA challenged for power at a national level and won.

I want it to be the story of a party that was victorious because it stayed true to its values.

I want it to be the story of how a non-racial party built a political home for all South Africans. 

‘n Samelewing waar jou toekoms nie bepaal word deur die kleur van jou vel nie.

Democrats, it is not going to be easy.

It will be difficult because our goal is to win support from voters of all races, at the very moment that racial mobilisation is on the rise. 

Those who mobilise on race have no interest in building our nation. Their goal is to break down the constitutional democracy that so many great South Africans painstakingly built.

As the legendary Sophiatown poet, Don Materra once wrote: 

Bulldozers have power.

They can take apart in a few minutes

all that has been built up over the years

and raised over generations

and generations of children

The power of destroying

the pain of being destroyed,

Dust ...

Democrats, we need to make sure that our message of hope is more powerful than their message of hate.

While they are tearing down statues, we will be building schools and creating jobs.

While they illegally invade land, we will be implementing successful land reform programmes.

While they trade on the divisions of the past, we will position the DA as the party of tomorrow. 

While they play on people’s fears, we will connect with voters on the basis of shared values.

We must defend the Constitution of the Republic at all costs.

We must ensure that everyone is equal before the law. 

We must continue to pursue our legal battles against the powerful and the corrupt.

So President Zuma, if you are watching, please note: we are still coming for you.

Make no mistake Mr President, you will have the day in court you have been asking for.

You see, Democrats, nobody is above the law. And, equally so, no political party has the divine right to rule this country.

So when we talk of a second transition, we refer to the process of political power shifting from one party to another peacefully through the ballot box.

Democrats, we can make historic gains in the local elections next year.

We will retain the City of Cape Town.

We can win power in Tshwane, our nation’s capital.

We can even win power in Johannesburg, our country’s economic heartland.

And, we can win power right here in Nelson Mandela Bay.

Democrats, the future is bright if we all work together as a team. And I know that we will emerge from this Congress strong and united. 

I am deeply humbled by the opportunity to serve as your leader. I will do my best for all of you. And I know that the entire leadership team elected today will do the same, as will our leaders in governments across South Africa. We will serve the people, not the other way around.

In closing, I would like to thank my incredible campaign team. Honourable Members, you ran a truly brilliant and positive campaign. You made history, and to you, I pay tribute.

And, finally, to my gorgeous wife, who has to put up with this crazy life I have chosen. Thank you for supporting me during tough times. And thank you for being a wonderful mother to our children KG and Daniel. You are a true champion. Together, let’s pursue the dream of a truly liberated South Africa.

Democrats, I want to leave you with one final thought.

When we leave Port Elizabeth today, every step we take will be one step closer to the Union Buildings. 

We must and we will win power in our lifetime. We will be the next government of this beautiful country.

Because change is coming! 

Morena Boloka Setchaba sa heso 

God seën Afrika 

Nkosi sikelel' iafrika

Let us live and strive for freedom, in South Africa our land.

Amandla!