Spore het hoop, maar bied nie kitsoplossings

Dit is nou al amper 40 minute en daar was nog nie eens ’n aankondiging nie. Die treine is al weer laat. Dit raak nou ’n gewoonte – treine is meer laat as wat dit betyds is. Kommunikasie is ook nie een van Metrorail se sterk punte nie, want glo dit of nie – met al die treinkansellasies is daar nog meer treine as aankondigings.

Op die platform wonder ek wanneer kom die verdomde trein, want ek het klaar ’n kaartjie gekoop. Ja, dit is hoe duisende pendelaars baie keer voel en dit is iets wat duisende daagliks in die gesig staar.

Ek raak nou moeg van die gewag en ek weet nie of daar iets gaan kom of nie. Wag, laat ek iemand bel.

Die daaglikse stryd en frustrasies van pendelaars is weens wanbestuur en korrupsie, maar ook swak of eintlik geen beplanning.

Die huidige diens kan jou nie ’n trein wat betyds is verseker nie. Jy is wel verseker van ’n oorvol trein, en nadat jy gesukkel het om in te klim moet jy oor die uitklim begin worry.

Vir dié wat nie treinry nie – dit is iets soos stoei se royal rumble.

Treine op die Wellingtonlyn is met meer as 60 minute laat. Die probleem is glo ‘low overhead power’ tussen Huguenot en Soetendal. Ek is ook herinner daaraan die die spoorlyn tussen Stikland en Wellington en verder aan Transnet behoort.

Dis die ander probleem. Metrorail huur slegs die gebruik van die lyn, maar enige herstelwerk en onderhoud is die verantwoordelik van Transnet.

Net onlangs was daar ’n passasierverwante voorval by Brackenfell. Wellington treine moes via Stellenbosch ry, en dié tussen Kraaifontein en Stikland is aan hul eie genade oorgelaat. Dit was nou totdat ’n kontrole-operateur van Transnet op die toneel gekom het om enkellynwerk te begin. Dis maar net die operateur wat self elke trein van ’n sekere punt tot by die volgende neem.

Ek dink nou – ironies genoeg het ek vroeër vanjaar aan Metrorail se streekbestuur genoem dat hulle meer aandag aan die “vergete” lyn sal moet gee en selfs voorgestel dat ’n senior bestuurder die verantwoordelikheid vir kliëntediens op die lyn gegee word.

Sien, Metrorail het een areabestuurder wat verantwoordelik is vir die sewe stasies tussen Wellington en Muldersvlei. Die aankondigingstelsel en/of luidsprekers by talle van die stasies werk nie, of dié waar dit nie werk nie het nie draagbare luidsprekers nie of daar is nie ’n personeellid om sy of haar lewe te waag en aankondigings op die platform te doen nie.

Wat my dikwels grensloos irriteer is “make use of bridging transport” – net mooier bewoording vir “kry alternatiewe vervoer”.

Dit het my een oggend só op die spore gedryf dat ek Metrorail se kommunikasiebestuurder moes WhatsApp en vra kan hulle nie eerder sê “regrettably Metrorail has no buses available and commuters are advised to arrange their own transport”.

Hoe ironies dat ek dit nou juis in vervoermaand moet noem, want nie net word baie min tot geen aandag aan veral openbare vervoerdienste in landelike gebiede gegee nie, maar baie van die landelike gebiede het geen openbare vervoerdiens nie behalwe vir taxi’s wat jy dalk net tot 18:00, of as jy gelukkig is 19:00, gaan kry.

Kort voor sy aanstelling het die minister van vervoer, Joe Maswanganyi, in ’n parlementêre portefeuljekomitee sy kommer uitgespreek dat Metrorail so baie huurgeld aan Transnet betaal.

Met sy besoek vroeër die maand aan die Kaapstad-stasie saam met Prasa se groepbestuurshoof, Lindikhaya Zide, moes ek net vra wat gedoen word om beter kliëntediens en kommunikasie aan pendelaars op die Wellingtonlyn te verseker.

Metrorail probeer al geruime tyd spore wat aan Transnet behoort, oor te neem. Sake het al só gevorder dat ’n verslag op die tafels van die twee betrokke ministers lê.

Zide het in reaksie gesê Prasa en Transnet gesels oor die oordrag en ander tegniese aspekte en hoop om binnekort ’n aankondiging hieroor te doen.

’n Dag later kondig die Stad Kaapstad weer sy voorneme aan om die bestuur – eintlik die begroting – van Metrorail oor te neem. Terwyl sommige jubel en juig oor die moontlikheid, is dit belangrik om te weet huidige wetgewing, en die nasionale ontwikkelingsplan, weerspreek dit.

Die Stad Kaapstad het ook geen jurisdiksie oor die ander ses munisipale grense waardeur Metrorail ’n passasierspoorvervoerdiens lewer nie.

Ek kan egter nie help om te wonder watter soort diens my medependelaars van Malmesbury, Klapmuts, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington, Hermon, Saron, Riebeeck, Ceres, Tulbagh en Worcester sal kry nie.

Hoeveel langer gaan hulle moet wag as dit ’n kontrakteur is wat treine in daardie gebiede bestuur of as daar ’n voorval is? Die stad is dalk nie die oplossing nie en hoe langer Transnet daarmee sloer, hoe langer wag ons.

Ek besef nou ek is buite Kaapstadstasie. Die foutiewe punte of seine êrens by Soutrivier of Woodstock of waar ook al is reggemaak en my trein trek amper 30 minute laat op Kaapstad-stasie in.

Hoewel daar hoop is, blyk dit geen kitsoplossings is op ’n Express-trein vir my en my mede-pendelaars op pad nie.

• Hierdie Post Scriptum opinie het aanvanklik in Paarl Post van 9 November 2017 verskyn.

2019: status quo vs. change to unite

 On Monday 6 November 2017 the governing party in the second largest municipality – and thus biggest constituency – in the province elects a new leadership.

This internal election is the first since the 2016 local government election. Following that election the party not only became the first political party to win a consecutive local government election in Drakenstein, but also increased their vote with nearly 10%.  

In 2016 the DA increased their support in the Paarl East – coloured – area, especially Chicago, Amstelhof, Nederburg, Denneburg. The DA also took two ANC stronghold wards, Gouda and Simondium with 60 and 62% respectively. It however did not show any major increase in so-called “white-areas”. In Wellington the DA’s support took a dip in most of the wards.

Above statistics are important if one considers the candidates contesting the internal election. Both candidates for chairperson are from the Paarl-East area, while those standing for deputy are from Wellington and Northern-Paarl. Two of the candidates vying for secretary are from Mbekweni and the other from Paarl-East. The treasurer position is the only uncontested position and incumbent, Gert Combrink – who also happens to be the DA West Region Treasurer – will return for another term.

There appears to only be one slate, with all other candidates campaigning as individuals. Considering the 2016 outcome and party’s targets for 2019, the expectation is that the party would focus at having a more diverse team on local level, representing all the areas of the Constituency. For some time now the DA’s been trying to make inroads in Mbekweni. Having two of three candidates for a position from the area will most likely split the votes from Mbekweni. Two of the three standing for secretary are former activist and first time councillors and the third a former ANC Councillor, with more political experience than her competitors. My expectation from any secretary is also to atleast be able to spell or use spell-checker. From her campaign post though it would appear as if this is a weakness of one of the candidates – she even managed to get the names and titles wrong of those on her slate.

The competition for deputy chairperson is between a “veteran” and an activist. What delegates might want to consider is where the two candidates campaigned during the 2016 local elections, the DA’s support dropped in the area the one campaigned and increased in the area the other one campaigned. Both seem committed to the cause; just one is on a slate and the other not. And that will either turnout to be good or bad.

Perhaps important to remind oneself the DA believes in freedom, fairness and opportunity. It also preaches separation of party and state. Some examples are during Helen Zille’s term as party leader in Parliament Sandra Botha, Athol Trollip, Lindiwe Mazibuko and Mmusi Maimane occupied the role of Parliamentary Leader (Leader of the Official Opposition).
In the Western Cape with Helen Zille leading the provincial government, Theuns Botha, Ivan Meyer, Patricia de Lille and Bonginkosi Madikizela was party leader.

In the City of Cape Town Helen Zille, Dan Plato and Patricia de Lille led the local government, while Grant Pascoe, Shaun August and now Grant Twigg led the party in the metro.

The race for Chairperson is always interesting, and it becomes even more interesting when one of the candidates is a woman. 

Note despite Helen Zille’s successful tenure as party leader, the DA has not exactly broken the glass ceiling for woman leaders in the party. 

Delegates will have to vote between incumbent Chairperson, Conrad Poole, and outgoing Secretary, Wendy Philander.

I have the privilege to have gotten to known both candidates – both caring individuals, who want to make the world better. Both I gotten to know before they became councillors, ironically ward councillors. I saw the election of Conrad during a by-election and Wendy in 2011. During their term as ward councillors both worked hard and people of their wards still hold them in high regard – because both continue to work hard for the people they serve.

Both candidates have used each opportunity that crossed their path.

Wendy, current DA Women’s Network Chairperson, was also part of a Swedish exchange program for woman in local government – something I still think Drakenstein should, but they not, use to their advantage. She served one term on the executive mayoral committee, in the key portfolio of housing.

Conrad was recently elected as DA West Region Deputy Chairman and on the provincial executive as additional member. He’s in his third term as councillor and current executive mayor.

Conrad’s campaign is based on the success of the party under his leadership. The party grew from receiving 32% of the vote in 2006 to 66% in 2016, not without teething problems.

Wendy’s campaign is based on the party’s mission of Freedom, Fairness & Opportunity, creating a platform to develop the next generation, making progress together.

Doing research for this blog it became evident that the party is very much divided. This week DA founder Helen Suzman would have celebrated her centenary. Will Drakenstein’s gift to her be that the status quo is enough to carry the party to 2019 or will the party heading towards 2019, change; unite and develop to increase its support?

Overcrowded delayed trains anticipated next 2 years

Trains in the region are subjected to be overcrowded and delayed for the next 18 to 24 months. 
Nope not an SMS-notification or announcement but what members of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament’s Standing Committee on Transport were told during a briefing by Metrorail.

Ironically the meeting started with the Metrorail delegation being delayed – not from a train, but security processes signing in.

The rail operator painted a picture of crime crippling the network, preventing it from delivering a reliable service to it’s hundreds of commuters.
Metrorail requires 88 train sets to operate a normal service, but has since October 2015 loss 101 carriages in arson-related incidents. The result? shorter trains and train cancellations. It also stated five years ago no one bothered with trains but these days more of Prasa assets are targeted.
It managed to make 200 arrest in July, 127 less than the 327 in February this year. What is interesting about this figure is for the year there has been no arrest for pick pocketing and only one for a fraudulent ticket – in March.
“It would appear as if Metrorail is now more focused on taking on rail crime than running trains,” said Nobulumko Nkondlo (ANC).
For Masizole Mnqasela (DA) it seemed as if there is no relationship between Prasa and the justice cluster, while his colleague Mark Wiley wanted to known if the State Security department is part of Metrorail’s specialised task team.
Metrorail says they not shifting the blame, but appeal that the different government agencies work with them for the rail operator to deliver a service. “We need to know why trains are burning at 1am. It cannot be because of delays, those trains were not late.”

Committee chairman, Nceba Hinana, says what concerns him is people hanging out from trains.
Although it mentioned being active on social media, commuters able to check train updates via GoMetro and SMS-notifications sent to commuters, Metrorail admitted communication is a challenge, saying they do not communicate enough to commuters.
Regional Manager, Richard Walker, shared with the committee that he himself commute by train and he also find it frustrating to arrive at a station and the electronic board is not working or don’t reflect a delay.
“One of the reasons why people board the first train arriving is because of the uncertainty if there will be a next one or what time it will arrive, adding to overcrowded trains. Part of attending to this is being more predictable.”
Metrorail’s train design team is currently re-looking the timetable and commuters could soon receive communication regarding a revised timetable, to take effect September 1st 2017. 

Two interesting points from Metrorail’s presentation of 50-slides, that even the honourable members failed to notice, is:
1) Their main stakeholder (commuters) is not included in the list of external support and partnerships.
2) Metrorail don’t now it’s own boundaries and where it runs a service. In it’s introduction it states its operations stretch across 6 municipalities and lists them as Cape Town, Drakenstein, Winelands, Breede River, Swartland and Helderberg.
Firstly a simple Google-search would have told them there is no Winelands and Helderberg municipalities. 
Secondly Metrorail’s operations stretch across: Cape Town, Drakenstein, Witzenberg, Breede Valley, Stellenbosch and Swartland.
The provincial transport minister, Donald Grant, also attended the meeting and said what is unacceptable is that commuters at times have to wait three hours for a train.
Metrorail reacted there exceptional cases do occur. 
ANC’s Cameron Dugmore says “we in agreement, Metrorail is failing and now we need to solve it together".  
He also tweeted what I’ve previously stated the problem is bigger than Metrorail. And continued: “he is not convinced the current plans are enough”.
He also suggested that Metrorail appear before the committee again, with fewer slides, and go into detail on the turn around strategy. Dugmore also want commuters and other stakeholders to be part of the meeting and give their input.
MEC Grant’s concern however is what is being done about the service for next week and next month.
Mnqasela gave the best summary of the situation: “we in a crisis and it cannot be business as usual”.


Metrorail’s solution is summarized in their accelerated turn around actions and includes:

• Increase train set availability from 60 to 65 in the next 3 months.
• Increase train set availability from 66 to 70 in the next 6 months.
• Increase train set availability from 71to 75 in the next 9 months.
• Increase train set availability from 76 to 80 in the next 12 months.
• Increase train set availability from 81 to 88 in the next 18 months.
• Reduce short trains from 86% to 50% of available trains.
• Increase reliability by
• Improving availability of rotating machines and wheels by fast track process to require components
• Availability of materials and spares by finalising regional tender process.
• Reduce signal infrastructure delays by rehabilitation of conventional signalling systems, migration of copper to fire, vandal proofing of signalling equipment and reinstatement of level crossings
• Reduce perway infrastructure delays by fast tracking procurement and approve contracts with Transnet.

Dissolve: Making South Africa Great Again

Prior to Woman’s Day South Africa saw opposition parties unite, speaking like one voice, calling on the democratically elected Jacob Zuma to step down as President. A motion of no confidence – the 8th since 2009 – even managed to get 177 votes*.

Less than 48 hours after the DA sponsored MONC failed the party informed the Speaker of the National Assembly that they will table a motion to dissolve Parliament. 

The consequence of such a motion succeeding is a General Election.
Amongst the reasons cited for the motion is the National Assembly no longer representing the will of the people, failing to hold President Jacob Zuma accountable and failing in its duties to uphold the Constitution.
Whether you agree or disagree with the DA and this motion, you have to acknowledge the length the party would go in holding Parliament accountable. 

The DA’s intentions might be pure but it is quite evident the leadership is listening to advisers in the office and not activist in the street. From online scanning it looks as if many of the party’s public representatives, across the three spheres, have expressed support for such a motion – as one would probably expect loyal DA public representatives to do – it is DA supporters and activist, those foot soldiers walking door-to-door everyday who are not in favour of this latest DA-sponsored motion.
On the ground people want to know what besides only talking about Zuma and what he is doing wrong is the DA doing about racism, youth unemployment, crime, gangsterism, land reform, housing, hate crime, etc.

One should also not underestimate your voter and say where we govern, we govern well. In the City of Cape Town residents are unhappy at high electricity prices. Despite governing the Western Cape for 8 years and many of the municipalities for more than five years there is no integrated public transport system (besides George). Very little to no economic opportunities also exist for young people in especially rural towns. Appointments in DA-led council are also mostly individuals from outside the municipal borders and seldom young people, but mostly those with years of experience (this can be good and bad).
One DA supporter sums this up as ‘why can the party not focus on where it governs and build on the gains’.

Political parties have also not reacted favourable to the proposed motion.
The Inkhata Freedom Party (IFP) says the motion is misplaced, misguided, reckless and irresponsible.
Freedom Front Plus (FF+) says it is opportunist. Dr. Pieter Groenewald says the DA must be careful or their behaviour might benefit and strengthen the Zuma faction within the ANC. “Voters will start to get discouraged because their expectation that Zuma will be oust is not met and this will result in voters becoming apolitical and won’t vote in 2019.”
Congress of the People (Cope) says as parties working in collaboration on issues of national importance they have never discussed such a motion. “We believe in supremacy of the constitution and respect the democratic electoral process and its current cycle,” says Mosiuoa Lekota.
The African National Congress (ANC) believes the motion confirms what the party has been says in the MONC debate this is an attempt by the DA at regime change through parliament.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) says it already approached the DA in a move to have Parliament dissolved and was rejected and will thus not support the motion.
United Democratic Movement (UDM) says of importance is the readiness of the IEC for the 2019 National and Provincial Elections. Bantu Holomisa says the IEC needs to capture voters’ addresses before the Constitutional Court deadline of June 2018. “The IEC should move with speed to ensure that the voters’ roll is cleaned. We need to ensure that the 2019 Elections are credible, free and fair.”

For the DA’s motion to succeed it needs 201 votes. The party itself only has 89 seats and parties mentioned above: ANC: 249, EFF: 25, IFP: 10, UDM: 4, FF+: 4 and Cope: 3. 
Considering the ANC’s numerical dominance (alone), it is highly unlikely this motion will pass. What is also important to keep in mind is that the few ANC MPs who were bewitched Tuesday was unhappy with Jacob Zuma as President and not with the ANC-led government.

One cannot help but wonder why with such a big move, where you need the support of others, was there no consultation with them prior to your announcement. 
DA Leader Mmusi Maimane himself has said it looks highly likely that a coalition government might occupy the Union Buildings after 2019. With that in mind, would that not require a good working relationship now already?

Should this motion succeed and we have the election, there is no guarantee that those ANC voters upset at current events and factions in the governing party will vote for the DA. There is a bigger possibility that the EFF will gain ANC voters. One should also ask will the DA accept the outcome, whether it is majority voting for ANC again or DA shifting to third largest party.

In my humble opinion our opposition should not be too optimistic about the cracks showing in the governing party. Instead of trying to dissolve Parliament, our opposition should present Mzansi with a clear plan and not just say we will make South Africa Great Again. 



The 177 votes is significant considering the 12 opposition parties in the National Assembly together hold 151 seats. On the day of the vote, there was one vacancy in the opposition benches and two were on sick leave. Furthermore one MP indicated he won’t be voting more the motion and another also hinted at that. Having said that and considering 9 MPs abstained, one draws the conclusion about 35 of 249 ANC MPs supported the motion.

Metrorail or Metrorail?

Trains are delayed due to manual authorization, defective sets and speed restrictions. Allow for extended travel time due to a train that failed in-section. If you make use of South Africa’s rail operator Metrorail, these are well-known messages by now.

The daily struggles and frustration of thousands of my fellow commuters are as a result of not only mismanagement and corrupt activities but also first no planning and then poor planning by government.

The current state of the service is where you not guaranteed the train will be on-time and your ticket might or might not be checked. What you can be sure of is an overcrowded train. After the struggle to get in, comes the struggle to get out. Picture yourself a scrum, better yet wrestling’s royal rumble.

Another challenge for both rail operator and consumer is that some of the tracks are not owned by Metrorail. Much of it is rented from Transnet and therefore Metrorail cannot legally do repairs and maintenance. This often leaves the operator and commuters frustrated with delays or a suspended line, pending TFR maintenance.

While the daily numbers of commuters have increase, the number of trains decreased with many trains sabotaged by arson and vandals. This led to some trains being cancelled and the remaining trains shorter to ensure a service on all lines.

Metrorail needs more than 90 train sets to have a normal service in the Western Cape, for the four lines that stretch over 490km tracks. With all the arson incidents the past two years, there was a time the province had less than 60 train sets.

I am of the opinion that the arson and cable theft is a well-organised syndicate, deliberately destroying Metrorail.

Unfortunately there is no security compliment to have a guard of honour next to the railway line, and there is just not enough manpower for all the stations and points.

Security guards are deployed to hot-spot areas, but families of the men and women are victimized and their lives threatened. Many of the unarmed guards step back when the criminals target the areas. These guards don’t speak, out of fear for the lives of their loved-ones. Many of the guards are also not trained to use a firearm. And we cannot just go and give every Hendrik, Jason and Thabo a gun.

Cable theft is a reality. Between the 21st and 25th of July 2017 eleven suspects were arrested. Rail crime is however not viewed as serious enough by our justice system. If it was how many criminals caught, or against whom there is enough evidence were successfully prosecuted?

One of the positives is there has not been a single derailment with fatalities in the Western Cape and compared with other regions train incidents are fewer. Delays and cancellations are also lower, and lines suspended for service (after a major incident) last a few hours – compared to days in other regions – and as hard as this is to believe, commuters here receive better communication.

However the reality is that Metrorail operates in an open environment, making it not immune to and thus vulnerable for criminal activities. Social ills in communities play a big role in the many challenges. Often criminals use the tracks as an escape route. There are also areas where the railway line is a border for rivalry gangs.

Railway police don’t resort under Metrorail – but SAPS – and having no jurisdiction over them or their deployment adds to the safety headache.

The past month also saw a number of level-crossing incidents, despite having booms and Metrorail appealing in their statements for motorist to be vigilant when approaching a level-crossing.

Part of addressing the problem is not only government making more funding available, but also making rail more than just a priority on paper. We will also have to start addressing crime, social challenges and unemployment. If we don’t do this and continue to play the blame game, commuters and Metrorail will continue to be the biggest loser and hooligan criminals laughing all the way to the bank.

This opinion piece was originally written for JustJody  

Metrorail's delayed promises

Metrorail is managed by union leaders and not the appointed management.

This was confirmed when Prasa Acting Group CEO, Lindikhaya Zidi, gave in to request by union leaders – despite cries by commuters for atleast the last four years.
Untu has been threatening Prasa with legal action for weeks now, if the company don’t beef up security and create a safer work environment. This comes after a train driver was shot dead at Netreg station in July 2016.

On 2 August 2016 a Metrorail train driver shot and killed a 26-year old attacker near Kraaifontein station, after being attacked by four men near the station – the second incident involving this driver. Earlier this year a train guard was threatened at gun point and in two separate occasions verifiers on a train and at a gate was threatened. There are also other incidents where Prasa staff have been intimidated.

Prasa now made a promise of not only armed security on the Central Line but also better communication, with regular SMS-notifications.

It looks like it is not #AllLivesMatter for Metrorail. It is not only the Central Line where criminal elements are at the order of the day. Prasa seems to contradict itself. A few weeks ago they used the criminal element as an excuse to have paid parking at Bellville yet parking at all other stations – even on the Central Line – are free.

It would appear as if the AGCEO is also not aware that Rapid Railway Police only start patrolling trains and stations after 8am, when the majority of commuters are already hard at work. I guess he is also not aware that Prasa has no jurisdiction over the railway police, or that the outsourced security of Prasa is not very proactive. He’s also quiet on what will Prasa do to ensure successful prosecution.

In an email dated 24 May 2017 I share with Mr. Zidi no one within CMOCC (Operational Centre) is being held accountable. His reaction two months later is a manager on duty until the last train completed its journey. A manager on duty in CMOCC is not the solution for the frustration of thousands of commuters, if that manager cannot be proactive.

Until this hour Metrorail cannot explain that on 24 May 2017 a manager was on duty and still CMOCC was not able to notice for three hours Wellington trains are delayed. That is one of many incidents I can point out (and Metrorail’s management have copies of all).

In the very same email I make the bold statement that Metrorail Western Cape’s Management don’t have the backbone to take responsible for and deliver a credible reliable service with their hands on the things they can control.

From the promises it would appear as if the AGCEO is not aware SMS notifications are already sent to commuters.

The problem Prasa/Metrorail seems to ignore is (a) the disconnect between the different internal departments and communication methods and (b) the credibility, accuracy and timing of proactive customer communication.

I’ve previously pointed out the problem but will repeat myself. Currently Customer Communication at Metrorail sits with the Customer Services and Train Operations departments. In Train Operations drivers and other technical support staff are responsible for communication. Customer Service’s priority is generating revenue and not communication first. The problem with both is that those responsible for communication had no communication training and are thus not even aware of Communication101.

Part of the solution – and I’ve been proposing this to Metrorail Western Cape since November 2014 – is
(a) an integrated customer communication policy and
(b) Marketing and Communication department (custodians of the organisation’s reputation) be the driving force behind all external and internal communication.

This should be done by crafting and editing of messages.

Metrorail Western Cape’s Operational Policy and Procedures don’t allow for the above but it has been proven in times of crises that it can work. Sadly egos are still a red signal for proactive customer communication.

How Metrorail cannot assist their commuters

Criminal activity seems to be the reason behind paid parking at Bellville railway station.

“The parking area at Bellville railway station reached a point where criminal activity became the order of the day,” says Marius Wagener from Prasa Cres.
“Drug peddling and theft created an unsafe environment for the commuting and general public parking at Bellville. Prasa appointed a private operator to manage the parking area, with the objective to create a safe and secure parking facility.”

Commuters making use of the parking were charged R600 per month in April and May. After complaints to Metrorail, this was temporarily halted for due processes to be followed. Commuters have since been charged R10 per hour, R40 per day and R600 per month to make use of the parking.
Metrorail in May said it had no knowledge of paid parking. Last week the rail operator said it is not responsible for communicating to commuters any maintenance and construction related matters, that have an impact on their customers.

Wagener says that those making use of the parking where informed on two occasions of the decision to place the parking under private management and be operated as a paid public facility.
The notice is dated 20th June 2017, but Wagener would not comment if one week is sufficient time for a notice where paying for a service is involved, considering they have been aware of it for atleast three months. 
Wagener did not respond to queries to confirm the different pricing options.
“The parking facility is not used exclusively by train commuters, but also local business and the general public,” says Wagener.
“The operator however does not charge different rates for commuters and general public.

Metrorail could also not provide a list of all stations with paid parking. 
When asked if a commuter willing to pay R20 and make use of the parking for two hours but trains are delayed or cancelled and that commuter arrives four hours later at the parking and now needs to pay R60, if Metrorail is saying it cannot assist its commuters.
Spokesperson, Riana Scott, responded “unfortunately yes. I suppose it is similar to parking at the airport and one’s flight is delayed”.

For transparency, the five questions below were submitted to Wagener on Friday 14 July 2017, to which he has not yet responded: 
1. You mention criminal activity and drug peddling that eventually led to this decision. It is an open secret that drug peddling is taking place at Eikenfontein, Brackenfell, Parow and Vasco and those are just four neighbouring stations to Bellville. It is an open secret that Retreat, Netreg, Khayelitsha, Bonteheuwel, Wittebome have the same problem. Yet there is no paid parking to make the environment safe.
In addition to the above commuters from Kuilsriver have been requesting Prasa repeatedly to ensure safe parking at that station and that has been ignored.
Question: what criteria was followed in making this decision and is it because Prasa Cres has offices and your staff, who make use of the parking had complained about the "unsafe" environment?

2. You mention a private operator was appointed, was there a tender out for this and could you give me the dates and publications this was advertised. Can you also confirm that the operator is not related to any senior Prasa official either at Head Office or in the province?

3. The notice (a) has no contact details to confirm that it is legit and (b) is dated 20 June 2017, meaning you only had one week (5 working days) to hand out such notice.
In addition to the above you admit the implementation was postponed in May to 1 July 2017. If decision was thus made in May to implement 1 July 2017, why did it take you almost two months to issue a notice?

4. You indeed correct that businesses in the area also make use of the parking. Businesses however make use of the parking under the bridge and not directly next to the station and Railway Police, where only commuters and Prasa employees park.

5. You mention that the operator is not charging different rates but would appear as if Prasa is not even aware of what rates is being charged. Can Prasa confirm what are the agreed rates per hour, per day and per month and what reimbursement will there be should trains be delayed because of Prasa?

Youth month should stress future possibilities

As the curtain closes on another youth month, I ask myself what remarkable change transpired in the lives of our youth during June?

Celebrations this year took place against the backdrop of several incidents of rape and murder of young children. To make matters worse the majority of perpetrators, if not all, are youngsters. If that is not enough to raise alarm bells, the fact that social challenges have played a role in almost all of these cases is significant.

We have long passed the stage of straightbacked alarm at the news of a rape or murder of a child. By now we should be sitting on the edge of our seats and asking ourselves rather earnestly, “where and when did we take a wrong turn?” Whom or what do we blame? Drug addiction, the drug lord who owns the means of our degradation, the merchants who pass the quick fix from one hand to the next? Or, are we going to blame peer-pressure?

A very good friend reminded me recently that it is tougher being a youngster today than a few years ago.

The youth of today are exposed to peer-pressure on a higher scale, communities with higher expectations from our youth – mainly because there are more opportunities – and then there is the pressure of social media.

As we put filters on our photographs, we cannot seem to do the same with our lives.

I draw the conclusion that changes in life expectations are largely to blame. Our youth are trying to keep everyone happy and to fit in. Very little focus, however, is given to our youngsters as individuals. The individual rather focuses on expectations from family, the community, friends, social media, and so on, but not their own goals, their vision.

The solution looks simple by addressing the challenges and paying attention to individual goals, but is that what we are doing? And what contribution is society, generally, making?

Something that has bothered me for some time now is the fact that we don’t give justice to the thousands of young people who, 41 years ago, stood up for what they believed to be wrong and to make shifts that finally led to a democratic South Africa.

Youth Day, and more still the month, is intended to commemorate the youth legends of yesteryear. But also to look at the challenges our youth battle with today.

Instead of doing this, Youth Day has just turned into another public holiday, an opportunity to drink, to be lazy or to just enjoy sports events.

On Youth Day I posted on Facebook: “I fail to understand why every Youth Day there is this and that sport thing. Sport is not the only thing our youth are good at and not all youths are interested in sport. Let’s not only focus on entertaining our youth but also inform and educate them to be better leaders.”

The more positive comments hold that sport unites, is healthy and promotes team spirit.

I still wonder, though: how many young people actually attend the sports events, and I don’t just mean those participating or are forced to be there.

Besides a certificate of participation and possible trophy, what else did our young people accomplish by the end of youth month?

If we want to address the challenges of our youth, we will have to be more creative than a sports event or two. If all the song, dance and sports are planned better Youth Day can be used to provide an opportunity for our young people to get information to further their studies, employment opportunities and learn more about different industries of employment.

Open days are not only for schools.

It is not only matriculants who need bursaries and do we have a database of unemployed young people in our communities?

Daylin Mitchell, member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, recently said in parliament the youth in our rural communities should be empowered.

What have youth development and opportunities been to young people in rural areas over the past five to seven years? How many cases are there not of an older individual, with more work experience, being employed instead of a young person with a degree, because the young person lacks the work experience? No opportunity is given, though, to the young person to gain the necessary experience.

I agree with my friend the MPL, that if young, previously disadvantaged South Africans aren’t empowered they will remain in a social void.

Youth development, then, is about presenting opportunities for the future, or we fail the Class of ’76.

• Original post appeared as Post Scriptum in Paarl Post of Thursday 6 July 2017

Your vote still more powerful than a picket poster

Sitting on a train on Friday 7 April I ask myself: are we after 23 years still a democracy?

Thousands used the first #FreedomFriday of Freedom month to take to the streets for a protest. You also had to pay close attention to know whether the protest was against state capture, our democratically elected president, firing of a former finance minister or against the governing party.

Maybe best to first mention I am not against South Africans exercising their democratic right to protest, against whatever. 

I also share the view and frustration over a lot of things done by our Commander in Chief. I’ll get back to the protest...

As i started writing this a video of kykNET Verslag popped up on my Twitter feed. The clip was about what is described as the presenter, Waldimar Pelser, venting over the President.

Waldimar makes some daring statements that echoes my question and makes we wonder “do we have media freedom or are we sitting with what some would describe as the ‘white-monopoly capital’ controlling the media

As media we obligated not to be bias and report all sides of a story. Does this however mean that as journalist I am not entitled to have an opinion?

As journalist I am obligated not to be bias. But I am no spin doctor, I am a journalist. Even before becoming a journalist I was a South African citizen. Like my fellow countrymen-and-women I am equal before the law and enjoy the same rights and responsibilities.

We enjoy press freedom in our democracy, but what protection do journalists enjoy for their thoughts and what if those thoughts and opinions are not the same as the majority?

Journalists don’t always receive the recognition they deserve. Many media colleague work in dangerous situations, where we have to take cover as the bullets and bricks fly. We at the receiving end of an auntie swear words or an uncle’s fist.

Is there an expectation from journalist to sit with a mouth full of words and act in the interest of the country? Unlike politicians we took no oath, yet they don’t hesitate to share their opinions.

According to reports approximately 205,000 South Africans countrywide took part in the 7 April protest. This is more than 80,000 less than the amount of votes the sixth biggest party received – and would have gotten you about five votes in parliament.

I did not take part in the protest. Not because I had to work, also not because it is my right not to take part. I did not take part because I am angry and frustrated at the many other things in our country – where many of our elected representatives fail us.

Throughout March nearly daily heard of children not only gone missing, but murdered. Until this hour, our leaders have not called for a day of prayer, let alone a protest.

In Paarl a clinic is being carried away brick-by-brick and with gang violence our elderly can barely go to pension payout points. But these are things we don’t protest about.

I was not one of the 277 members of the National Assembly who voted for the current president in 2009, I was also not an MP when Jacob Zuma was elected unopposed on 21 May 2014 for a second term.

See parliament elects the president and parliament should hold the president accountable and vote the president out. 

That is why citizens 23 years on 27 April, and the four general elections thereafter, stood in long queues to exercise our responsibility in voting for a political party.

We should not be misled to believe that Jacob Zuma will resign because we took part in a Big Walk and said so.

Our task is clear, to hold the political parties accountable to act in the interest of the country.

If the 12 political parties in the National Assembly are unable to hold the government accountable, we should hold them accountable when we make our cross.

Just before the big march Gwen Ngwenya, chief operating officer of the Institute for Race Relations, asked “when will South Africans learn that the ballot is mightier than the picket?”

We use the same argument, one for which I have been described on social media as “a stupid black guy”.

I manage to answer my own question. Thousands could take to the streets, against a democratically elected leader and some swear at him. No one was prevented by the South African Police Service and other law enforcement agencies to take part – more confirmation at how our democracy has matured.

South Africa is might be heading down hill, but we not there yet. Me being able to write this, you openly criticizing the government and the many protest that will still be held are all confirmation of this.

Should we reach the edge, we can still land on our feet.

We can however not make a U-turn with a poster in the street. We will raise awareness, and indirectly be part of a political campaign for the next general election yes.

See our cross at the ballot box is still mightier than a picket.

• This blog originally appeared in Afrikaans in Paarl Post of #FreedomDay 27 April 2017

Time to walk and talk

I came to the conclusion that #Metrorail is a lot like the church…

Between four walls love is shown and preached, promises are made and everyone seems happy. But like the church, Metrorail shy away from taking bold decisions – decisions that seem unpopular but in the long-run it’s for the best.

Metrorail’s challenges are as open as the environment trains are operating in. Addressing those challenges should thus not be something that drag on forever, but addressed head-on.

I recently called Metrorail Western Cape’s regional management incompetent. While I retract that with this blog, I still hold the opinion that many of the senior managers don’t have a clue of the region they meant to manage.

On the eve of Human Rights Day and just a day thereafter, Metrorail seem to have lost the plot again. Both days I called every single relevant Head of Department and senior manager that led to the Regional Manager leaving a meeting to address issues at the operational centre.

Allow me to pause here and say: yes the Western Cape Manager of Metrorail should be the last man standing, but it is wrong that he everytime be the responsible person doing everyone’s work.

It would appear that Metrorail Western Cape’s Regional Manager and I occasionally think the same way (scary) but we apparently composed similar emails at the exact same time. By the time he and his team received mine, the regional executive were already given their marching orders – similar to my invite to join me on Thursday 23 March 2017 on Cape Town station to show the top management how commuters have to run around due to lack of effective communication.

This is where I thank the men and women, who did what one would expect them to do every day when your organisation is in crisis mode.

Now back to my daring statement…

I won’t go into details on here, but from my engagement and observation it was rather shocking that some of the HODs still tried to make excuses for things that were extremely obvious:

+ Trains displayed on electronic board as being on platforms that have been out of order for nearly a year.

+ Wrong announcements being made

+ Platform changes, without any - let alone effective - communication

+ Cancellations that lead to commuters on certain lines having to wait more than 60 minutes for the next train

I agree with the HOD: Customer Service we need to address the systemic issues. That we do by changing structure, policy and protocol. Taking into consideration that Metrorail was declared being in the ICU in March 2014, one would have thought the systemic issues would be addressed head on by now.

In Metrorail’s defence: many of the HODs are newly appointed – but how long does it take you to get to know your portfolio and all the challenges.

Three things (I can publicly say) from the regional executives visit stood out for me:

+ That it took the Regional Manager to instruct his executive to be on platforms.

Like if you senior management can’t you make that decision on your own and take an hour of your day to go walk on the platforms during peak commute and familiarize yourself with challenges commuters face daily.

+ I was extremely frustrated and angry to observe an HOD not knowing the region.

A senior Metrorail manager did not know even though both Kraaifontein and Strand [and Eersteriver Wellington, Malmesbury, Worcester and Muldersvlei] trains operate on the Northern Line, they different directions and cancelling one will mean commuters of that train will have to wait for the next train going that direction.

+ Another senior manager made the bold statement [that I gave a billion likes to]: “communication is not a priority for Metrorail”

I agree, if communication was a priority:

o   It would not have been a need to instruct the regional executive to walk on Cape Town station.

o   Commuters would know what time and platform their next train is.

o   There would not be simple spelling errors in SMSe sent out.

o   Announcers would not make confusing and wrong announcements

o   Electronic display-boards would display correct information

Metrorail Western Cape’s regional executive took their walk. They saw what some of us have been saying for months is actually true.

I’m thankful that issues are being addressed in the long-term.

It’s now however time to make communication a priority

It’s not time for more apologies and excuses

It’s now time to speak and act