There is some relief for MyCiti commuters after the bus service announced that it will not hike its fares. This is after the price of diesel increased substantially last week. The wholesale price of diesel now stands at R22,58, which has forced transport services to revise their fares.
The City’s Urban Mobility Department has however stated that the services will only increase their fares if the diesel price surpasses the R27,51 threshold for two consecutive months. If this becomes a reality, the increase becomes mandatory in the following month.
The Council has approved a budget for the current financial year which allows the City to adjust MyCiTi tariffs. This will mitigate the risk of significant fuel price fluctuations in the future. It will also be more cost-reflective of the diesel price which has a huge impact on the cost to operate the MyCiTi bus service.
In a statement, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas said the City is committed to providing an affordable and reliable MyCiTi service but, it also has a responsibility to ensure the financial sustainability of the service.
“The Urban Mobility Directorate is committed to providing accessible and equitable transportation for all our residents, and our budget is structured in such a way that allows for fares to be adjusted during the financial year only following significant and sustained fuel price changes beyond a set threshold.”
Quintas added that this is a carefully considered approach that is designed to ensure resilience to fluctuations in the wholesale diesel price, protecting residents from erratic price shocks.
For more information on MyCiTi fares and the City’s public transportation initiatives, please visit https://www.myciti.org.za/en/home/
Other transport services fares
Golden Arrow bus services announced that it will be implementing a 2.7% fare increase on the 18th of September 2023. This excludes the price of pensioner’s products.
The bus services advised passengers to purchase a GABS Gold Card and load weekly or monthly products instead of paying cash. These products are sold at a discount of up to 45%. GABS Gold Cards, a once-off purchase, are still priced at R35.
As for the taxi industry, SANTACO Western Cape has announced that the council has not yet made a decision on whether they will review their taxi fares. Chairperson Mandla Hermanus says the association doesn’t normally adjust their fees in relation to fluctuating fuel prices but if further fuel price hikes occur, they will have to reconsider this decision.
