29/09/2016: Transport month programme for the City of Johannesburg
The Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Transport in the City of Joburg, Cllr Nonhlanhla Makhuba will champion a number of activities as part of October Transport Month. The City of Johannesburg’s theme for Transport Month is “Safe streets and transport for all”.
“It is with great pleasure and excitement, that I unveil, the City of Johannesburg’s Transport Month programme,” said MMC Makhuba. This year we will be interacting with stakeholders, public transport drivers and residents across the City – from malls to the streets and from the town to the townships and informal settlements”, she said.
“We will be focusing on road safety, on improving the conditions of our roads to support economic growth and improve the lives of residents living in informal settlements, on the role of public transport and the dangers of vandalism of road infrastructure and cable theft,” she added.
The first event of the month will be bus and mini bus taxi driver safety training and appreciation event on the 08th October. Some 100 drivers in the public transport sector will be recognised for their safety records, driving skills and excellent service.
On 14th October, the political leadership of the City will join the Johannesburg Roads Agency for the “extreme make over” of certain streets in Zandspruit. Activities will include the cleaning of the street and kerbs, repainting of road signs, removal of illegal advertising and unsightly stickers from signs and road furniture and scrubbing of graffiti.
The JRA will also host a sod turning events for gravel road surfacing at Slovoville, Poortjie, and Kaalfontein on 27th October. The Slovo Park project also involves a new pedestrian bridge. The Entity will also highlight their resurfacing programmes along major arterials such as Ormonde Street and St David’s Street in Parktown on 10 and 11 October 2016.
To raise awareness amongst residents about the dangers of vandalism of road infrastructure and cable theft as well as give opportunities for residents to give feedback to the City on transport issues within their communities such as potholes or service failures, the JRA will conduct campaigns in malls around the City between the 15th and 20th October 2016.
There have been a number of road safety challenges on the City’s streets, including Koma Road in Soweto. MMC Makhuba will be meeting community stakeholders and residents who live, learn or work along this road to hear about their challenges and develop solutions on Saturday 22nd October 2016.
To encourage communities to be safety conscious and respectful of all road users, an open streets event will be hosted in Dowling Street Westbury on 29th October. Sporting and social activities will take place on roads that are mostly only used by motorised transport.
Two activities will promote public transport. On 21st October, the annual Kasi to Kasi public transport adventure will be held where teams compete by travelling across the City visiting different City landmarks using public transport. On 26th October, senior citizens from White City will be hosted by MMC Makhuba on a Rea Vaya bus ride to Park Station after which they will board the Gautrain. The event will showcase the advantages of an integrated public transport network in the City.
The final event in Transport Month will be a further Freedom Ride, a social ride by cyclists on Sunday 30th October. This time the route will be between Diepsloot and Riversands. The ride is free but riders are requested to donate helmets or money which will go towards supporting cyclists in Diepsloot.
The city invites all residents and members of the media to support and take part in the Transport Month events. For more information members of the public can email or call Jacqueline Baloyi at the following contact details: 011 870 4516 or jacquelineb@joburg.org.zaThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Issued by: City of Johannesburg
For more press queries contact Lorraine Mapela on 011 870 4524 or 083 445 9547 and Nthatisi Modingoane 082467 9228.
For interviews with the MMC for Transport please contact Tebogo Mogoshoa on 072631 3783.
For all other media queries, send an email to mediaqueries@joburg.org.za
