Walk starts Transport Month

Transport is not only about buses, cars and other things that drive or fly, and the City showed that walking was an environmentally friendly way of getting around.
IN spite of the drizzle and cold weather, scores of residents and City officials took part in a 5km walk around the City on the morning of Sunday, 2 October.

MMC for transport Rehana MoosajeeMMC for transport Rehana Moosajee is joined by members of the public on a 5km walkThe walk, spearheaded by the member of the mayoral committee for transport, Rehana Moosajee, was held in observation of the annual Transport Month, which began on 1 October. The theme for this year is “Connecting people and places”.

More than 200 walkers and cyclists took part in the walk from Braamfontein to Newtown and back. Among the cyclists was Eric Motshwane, the director of corporate affairs of the Rea Vaya bus operating company, PioTrans.

Dressed in track suits and armed with umbrellas, the crowd walked from Constitution Hill down De Korte Street, and turned left on to Nelson Mandela Bridge into Newton.

Just before the Bree Street Taxi Rank, they turned right into Fox Street and left at the Miriam Makeba Street, where they were joined by a significant number of other walkers and cyclists.

By the time the crowd turned left into Ntemi Piliso Street, so many people had joined in that some had to walk on the pavements, as numbers continued to expand. Participants had so much fun, they forgot to worry about the drizzle.

Down they went, along Main, Eloff, Plein and Rissik streets, past Chancellor House and Attwell Gardens Park, and then back up to Constitution Hill.

PioTrans' Eric MotswanePioTrans' Eric Motshwane cycles past walkers“Today is all about celebrating transport and we do so by actually encouraging people by taking ownerships of the streets,” Moosajee said. “It is so refreshing walking through the city, seeing how is has transformed and developed over the years. Chancellor House is absolutely amazing.”

Transport must not be restricted to cars: “foot is also another mode. It is also transport. People should take time to experience the city – it is a wonderful experience.”

The feeling was mutual among participants. Jones Mphathi, the public information, education and relations officer of the emergency management services, enjoyed himself. “I feel so free walking the streets of Joburg,” he said. “Believe me, it’s a great experience. It is fun thing to do, because you exercise also.”

Lorraine Mapela, Biorumelo Ciarass and Theo Borman – all City employees – also enjoyed the 5km walk.

A range are of activities are planned throughout October to mark Transport Month.

Walkers replace cars and buses in the CBDWalkers replace motorised transport in the CBDOn 7 0ctober, the City will host political leaders, business people and celebrities on public transport tours, under the theme “Let’s connect with public transport”. The tours will start in the south and end in the north, passing legacy sites along the way.

Then, on 11 October, Moosajee, City councillors and Johannesburg Roads Agency employees, will clean and unblock storm water drains in Alexandra in preparation for the rainy season. They will meet at Alexsan Kopano Resource Centre at 7am.

Later, on 25 October, there will be a conference on transport awareness at Gold Reef City, running under the theme, “Decade of action for road safety; count me in”. It will start at 9am.

Concluding the month-long activities, on 31 October, the City will host a “Know your city tour”. More than 100 taxi and bus drivers will go on a tour across the city to learn more about it.