VZCZCXRO6078
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHSA #2478/01 3370740
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030740Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0449
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 002478 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EEB/TRA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EINV ELTN SOCI SF PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: JOHANNESBURG'S TWO BILLION RAND BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM 
FALLING SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS 
 
REF: A. 09 JOHANNEBURG 17 
     ¶B. 09 DURBAN 37 
     ¶C. 08 PRETORIA 737 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  Emboff tested Johannesburg's new Bus Rapid 
Transit (BRT) System, the Rea Vaya, on November 20.  The Rea Vaya 
was launched on October 20, to improve public transport 
infrastructure and alleviate traffic gridlock in South Africa's most 
congested and economically productive city.  The Rea Vaya is 
intended to complement other initiatives to improve public transport 
infrastructure ahead of 2010 FIFA World Cup (reftels).  The SAG 
hopes to increase public transport utilization to 70 percent 
eventually.  The Rea Vaya is struggling to gain commuter acceptance, 
and in the past several weeks has received a swath of negative press 
for its myriad of problems.  The Rea Vaya, opposed from the very 
beginning by the local taxi (minibus) industry, announced the 
closure of its feeder routes in November due to insufficient 
passenger demand and inadequate marketing.  With the World Cup less 
than 200 days away, the SAG cannot afford continued negative press 
for the Rea Vaya or for the R2 billion ($270 million) project to 
fail.  Tourists and commuters could have difficulty moving around 
Johannesburg, which is hosting multiple World Cup matches as well as 
the opening and closing ceremonies, without a reliable and widely 
used public transport system.  End Summary. 
 
------------------ 
BRT IMPRESSIVE AT 
FIRST GLANCE, BUT 
DEMAND REMAINS LOW 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (U) Emboff spent approximately three hours riding along the Rea 
Vaya's main bus route, from Johannesburg's Ellis Park stadium 
(hosting World Cup matches and near the Central Business District) 
through the city's main business and commercial districts toward 
Soweto (South Western Township).  The majority of riders were black 
commuters.  A one-way ticket on the 25 kilometer route costs R5 
(about 70 cents).  The Rea Vaya stations and buses operate at 
current international standards.  The main bus stations are serviced 
by helpful attendants, and purchasing tickets at the main stations 
was usually quick and easy.  Some BRT bus stations did not have 
signs indicating the routes or the scheduled pick-up times, but the 
BRT attendants were typically available to answer any questions. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The buses have a total capacity of 112 passengers, but were 
on average 25 percent full.  A spokesman for the BRT said about 
16,000 commuters use the BRT's main route, well below the 70,000 
expected.  One leading newspaper proclaimed, "the buses failed to 
put bums on seats," citing difficulty buying tickets and poor 
marketing of the service, routes, and schedules.  Fear of violence 
from competing minibus drivers, and crime in general, is another 
deterrent.  Other press reports have suggested that BRT ridership 
remains low because of Johannesburg's sprawling nature and the fact 
that many commuters still find minibus taxis - even if unsafe - the 
most convenient point-to-point transportation. 
 
------------------------ 
CONFLICT WITH LOCAL TAXI 
INDUSTRY A CONCERN 
------------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) One cause for low commuter demand is ongoing opposition 
with the local taxi (minibus) industry, which believes the BRT 
system would cut their market share.  Commuters are afraid to use 
the Rea Vaya out of fear of violent confrontations with taxi 
drivers, who currently provide the overwhelming majority of local 
transportation in South Africa.  According to one Rea Vaya station 
Qtransportation in South Africa.  According to one Rea Vaya station 
manager and former taxi driver, the real reason for the closure of 
some of the feeder routes was the risk of conflict with cartel-like 
taxi bosses.  He said many people were scared to ride the buses in 
these areas because they did not want to be seen by taxi drivers as 
siding with the BRT system.  There have been several incidents of 
violent actions against the Rea Vaya, including shootings by taxi 
drivers.  The taxi industry launched violence-plagued protests in 
early 2009 in opposition to the BRT system, but was ultimately 
calmed by President Zuma and other SAG officials who have said that 
the taxi industry will receive an ownership stake in the BRT system. 
 No significant security incidents have been reported in the press 
since the feeder routes were discontinued. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Security personnel patrolled two of the approximately 15 
bus stations visited by Emboff.  Buses operating in their designated 
BRT lanes were often cut off and stopped by minivan taxis picking up 
their clients.  One Rea Vaya driver claimed the taxi drivers do this 
on purpose to slow bus routes.  Some of the bus station attendants 
and drivers told Emboff that they were former taxi drivers.  Rea 
Vaya officials claim that some 75 former taxi drivers now worked for 
 
PRETORIA 00002478  002 OF 002 
 
 
the BRT because of better pay and reduced stress.  One bus driver 
said he was trained by Rea Vaya officials to be patient with 
aggressive taxi drivers. 
 
¶6. (SBU) During an inspection tour of World Cup legacy projects, 
which included a Saturday, October 31, ride on the Rea Vaya, Deputy 
President Motlanthe pronounced the BRT a safe, reliable, and 
affordable public transport option.  His statement was meant to 
counteract the negative publicity the Rea Vaya has received since 
its launch. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) SAG pleas for commuters to use the BRT system clearly 
indicate the importance government has placed on the costly Rea 
Vaya.  Tourists and commuters could have difficulty moving around 
Johannesburg, which is hosting multiple World Cup matches as well as 
the opening and closing ceremonies, without a reliable and widely 
used public transport system.  Nonetheless, legitimate fears of 
crime hamper all public transit in South Africa and will remain a 
challenge for Reya Vaya to overcome. 
 
¶8. (SBU) A failure of the BRT could reflect badly on the South 
African Government and the ruling ANC, which trumpeted the system as 
a solution to transportation woes in Johannesburg, as well as Cape 
Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth.  At a time when the government is 
making a push for improved service delivery and better use of 
government funding, any failure of public transit will leave the ANC 
open to criticism.  The city's other key transport project -- the 
much vaunted Gautrain (light rail/subway) -- will connect 
Johannesburg's central district to Pretoria and OR Tambo 
International Airport and will be phased in between 2010 and 2011. 
However, that system bypasses many of the townships that most rely 
on public transportation.  Much of the Gautrain will also not be 
operational for the World Cup. 
 
GIPS