Covid-19 crisis: Mbalula hints at commuter transport challenges

Metrorail commuter services will not be resumed until ‘the risk of transmission is manageable on a corridor-by-corridor basis’, reports Pam Saxby for Legalbrief Policy Watch. Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula confirmed this on Friday in a media statement among other things noting that the Passenger Rail Agency of SA and other operators will be required to develop ‘detailed plans’ for crowd management, ‘effective social distancing’ and the regular cleaning and disinfection of facilities. Some indication of what will be expected is provided in the context of the Gautrain’s gradual reintroduction of rail-based services under lockdown level four – including a reference to ‘50% standard coach occupancy’. Even when the country eventually moves to lockdown level three, only a ‘limited service’ is envisaged for other commuter rail operators.

Meanwhile, in anticipation of the reopening of several economic sectors under lockdown level four, two last-minute directives (providing for once-off inter-provincial movement between 1 and 7 May) hint at the scale of behaviour change required not only of road passenger transport operators, but also the vast number of South Africans dependent on their services. The Minister’s own 1 May directive on measures to be taken by bus and taxi operators during this period simply repeats what – after five weeks of lockdown – one would have hoped would be standard operating procedure. It followed the 30 April directive authorising the brief period of inter-provincial movement, provision for which is made in sub-section 16(5) of the 29 April disaster management regulations.