8th
July 2013
To Whom It May Concern
Rea Vaya Public Bus System Criticism
and Complaint
We run and work for Past
Experiences, a tour company, specialising in walking tours of the Johannesburg
Inner City. We aim to get our clients out of tour buses and rather out on the
streets, walking through the city. Our
clients are from all walks of life, racial groups, countries and ages-school
kids, corporates, foreign tourists, university students, academics, charities
and large groups of locals who want to see their own city. For over 4 years our greatest passion has
been the Joburg Inner City, its communities, buildings, history, art and much
more. We have invested a great deal in the CBD and Inner City Business and
Tourism Industry and are passionate about helping create the community driven,
fair, safe city that we and our fellow city residents and workers would want to
exist in.
Since 2010 we have also used public
transport as a cost effective and green way to navigate Soweto and the Inner
City. For 3 years, the Rea Vaya Bus
system has been a pleasure to use! Friendly staff, punctual buses and great
routes have been the norm- basically a really user-friendly system. We must
have taken hundreds if not over a thousand tourists through the city and Soweto
on the Rea Vaya over the last few years. From taking 1 client to Soweto, to groups
of 60 tourists on a ride through Hillbrow, to using it in a personal capacity,
we have become regular (sometimes daily users of the bus). We have also
extensively promoted the Rea Vaya to local and international press, tourists
and basically anyone on our tours.
We use the T1 and C3 routes to
travel around the city and Soweto and have in the past few years, used the
paper ticketing system- we would buy tickets at the Rea Vaya Station or
specific shops that sold tickets in areas without stations. Months ago it was
advertised that the Rea Vaya would start using a card system (this was then
delayed a number of times). We thought a card system would be a good idea for
regular users. Unfortunately, I can only say we were very, very wrong.
On the morning of Friday 5th
July, we picked up a group of 18 mature students from Wits, visiting
Johannesburg for a few months, predominantly from other African cities as well
as America, Venezuela and Germany. We walked to the Park
Station Rea Vaya, where we planned to board the bus and travel
to Soweto. On our arrival we were advised that the new card system had been
implemented a couple of days before- I had seen no visible notices of the
implementation of the system and from the amount of surprised commuters
standing around the station saying the same thing- implementation wasn’t widely
known.
The very rude man, selling tickets
seemed confused as to what tickets were available and their prices -he even
told my colleague that she shouldn’t buy the tickets because it is very
complicated. Surely he should want to sell tickets, since it is his job. We had
budgeted specifically for the 20 pax and so did not have unlimited funds to get
to Soweto and back. There was no option of getting a single paper ticket-
rather tourists who will never use the ticket again, had to purchase a card. We
were informed that we had to get everyone a card, a single route which is R25
per single trip, which meant we would have needed 3 each during the day, equivalent
to a charge of R75 pp. A few days
before, this same trip would have cost R27-
a significant
and unjustified price difference. There was an option advertised on
the price list of R37 for 2 trips, which we couldn’t get as the station didn’t
have these tickets in stock. The man then informed us that if we went to the Joubert Park Station we could get a free
card and load it with whatever amount we needed. We asked whether we could, as
a favour, get on the next bus and travel to Joubert Park as we were already
running late- where we would then get off and purchase the cards-obviously
informing the bus driver of our intent etc. The man said no, - when we asked if we could speak to his manager he said
no as his phone was only for his use. We then called the Customer
Care centre- when we explained the situation to the lady, she asked
to speak to the man and they then spoke to each other on our phone, using our airtime. The lady thereafter informed us that
she wouldn’t help us and that we must get 20 people in a taxi to Joubert Park
to buy tickets. We said that this is obviously costly and we couldn’t afford it.
We then asked her “is that she can’t help us or won’t help us”…she answered WONT.
At this point we decided to walk to
Joubert Park Rea Vaya Station which we
did- luckily our clients were really accommodating, although they were pretty
shocked at the situation. As people who really promote Joburg, we were already
very embarrassed and disappointed!
After walking a number of blocks
through Joubert Park (in the cold), we arrived at the Joubert Park Station
where we were met with more issues. Again after much conversation and
confusion, phone calls to management (because the staff are still pretty unsure
of the system), it finally came out the only option was paying R50 pp (minimum) for a card and fare,
R20 of which is a card holding fee. Additionally, each person on the tour had
to give their personal details and ID number as well as choose a card pin. The
process for 20 people to get cards was difficult, confusing and took a great
deal of time. They first had to sign a register to get the card, then walk
across to the other side of the station put in a chosen pin (a number of times
into a machine -pin at least twice plus a number of other buttons), then pay
R50. Again we were not the only people standing in the queue- everyone.
Including daily commuters were getting irritated by the system and complaining.
Luckily the staff at Joubert Park were helpful, unlike the man at Park Station.
We realise they didn’t choose or implement the system and are working within a
very difficult situation. One staff member in particular Mandla Ngwenya was absolutely
fantastic, foregoing his lunch hour and even providing us with his phone number
in case we had any issues during the day.
But by this point we had been
trying to get a ticket for 2 HOURS!
That is 2 hours of an 8 hour tour! 2 hours less to show how great Johannesburg
is. The group were cold and hungry by the time we got on the bus and very
disappointed in the Rea Vaya System! In over 4 years of running tours, this was
the most difficult day we have ever experienced.
Has anyone involved with City of
Johannesburg transport actually used the system extensively? -On a daily basis
and made any connection with daily commuters? The problems we experienced today
are not just teething problems-these are systemic floors in a ridiculous
ticketing system. We are not sure how locals or tourists are expected to
navigate this system and its many problems. It goes against everything a public
transport system should be. Synonyms for the word public are “community, civic,
communal, free and open”, everything the
Rea Vaya is not anymore. It is a disaster!
Basically here are the major issues
with the new Rea Vaya ticketing system:
·
The Staff do not seem to understand the system-
prices, cards etc. We realise it’s new but surely they should have had proper
training.
·
The card is only free at Joubert Park-not
anywhere else. We have no idea how anyone in Braamfontein, where there are no
stations is supposed to sign up for cards and recharge them.
·
The minimum amount that can be put on the free
card is R50, R20 of which is a holding fee. Who in Johannesburg can afford
this? Totally unrealistic- many people do not have R50.
·
There was definitely not enough notice indicating
when the new system would first be implemented-large posters plus media
coverage would have been useful in the weeks running up to the launch.
·
As this is a public transport system- surely the
community should have a say?
·
Every time you charge your card it costs R1-50.
Who does this money go to? Why are we charged?
·
The card is an ABSA Mastercard- is this really
needed in a developing city like Johannesburg. Wouldn’t a simpler card be
better? What does ABSA make out of this? We understand that the idea is to use
this card to purchase items at Pick’ n’ Pay-WHY is this needed? It seems that
to travel to Soweto you need to open something similar to a bank account and provide
many personal details.
·
You have to fill in a register with all your
details. This register is a piece of paper that anyone signing after you can
see your ID number, name, contact details, signature. Not the best idea with
the prevalence of ID theft. Also bearing in mind the large amount of foreigners
visiting and living in Joburg- obviously they do not have ID books or numbers.
·
Everyone is forced to give their details to
travel a few kilometres.
·
Surely there should still be the option of once
off paper tickets for those who will only use the system 1 or twice- both New
York and London have an option like this when using public transport as well as
a simple card for everyday commuters.
·
This new system will keep the majority of the
Joburg inner City off our own public transport system- it is way too expensive,
too complicated and too much information is required. This is public transport
for the citizens and communities of Johannesburg, but it no longer caters for
them. Realistically people in Johannesburg are very poor- how will they afford
this?
·
I have no idea how the children who use the bus
to get to school and back are supposed to get these cards without parental
help.
·
How will we ever take tourists on this system
again?- We were not allowed to buy 20 cards with 1 ID number to keep for
company use. This will change the way anyone doing tours in the city works. We
cannot spend over an hour on every tour buying everyone cards.
·
This system has a knock on effect for so many
people- If we cannot reach Soweto, we cannot support local crafters in the area
or community projects and restaurants.
·
Credit cards are not accepted yet
If after one day we can see these issues,
surely everyone can! We are incredibly positive and passionate about
Johannesburg, and do not complain unless really necessary, but feel we cannot
keep quiet when such a travesty is happening right now on our public transport
system. In simple terms, this is unethical and unworthy of “a world class
African City”. There must be a review of this system change, ensuring that the
people of Johannesburg must be catered for, no excuses- just a better system.
Hoping that our views are seriously
considered and a workable, budget friendly ticketing system is reintroduced.
We look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully,
Jo Buitendach and Tania Olsson-
passionate members of the Inner City Community
