The Western Cape High Court has ordered the City of Cape Town to halt its planned cuts to the Dial-a-Ride service, a vital transport lifeline for people with severe mobility impairments. The court further instructed the City to immediately restore the service to pre-announcement levels, pending a full legal review of the City’s decision.

The order follows an urgent application by the Western Cape Network on Disability and other civil society groups. In terms of the agreement, the City will reverse any reductions already made and extend existing services while the Disability Network pursues its legal challenge.

GOOD hails “victory for dignity”

GOOD Party councillor Roscoe Palm welcomed the judgment, calling it “rational and just” and a win for people with disabilities.

“The Court has made it clear: until the legal challenge is heard and decided, the City may not implement its planned changes,” Palm said. “This victory is a testament to the power of the people, and a reminder that in a constitutional democracy, communities must hold government to account when it fails the most vulnerable.”

Palm commended the role of disability rights organisations and activists, saying the fight is not over, as the City is expected to continue arguing austerity at the expense of residents with disabilities.

City seeks clarity on funding responsibilities

In its own statement, the City said it welcomed the opportunity for the High Court to assess the constitutional and funding obligations for Dial-a-Ride, saying this could help unlock critical national government funding.

“The City invests more in transport for persons with disabilities than any other metro in South Africa, but we cannot shoulder this responsibility indefinitely without broader support,” it said.

The City emphasised that municipalities are not mandated to provide such specialised services and noted that Dial-a-Ride has been directly funded from Cape Town’s rates account since 2002.

It argued that national and provincial governments, which hold the constitutional mandate for services to persons with disabilities, must help fund the system if it is to expand beyond its original purpose of transporting wheelchair users and people with severe mobility impairments to work.

Broader transport vision

Alongside the court battle, the City pointed to wider investments in inclusive transport, including its Universal Access Policy, the expansion of universally accessible MyCiTi bus routes, and upgrades to sidewalks and crossings to serve all residents.

Civil society, however, maintains that such long-term goals cannot come at the expense of immediate services for those who depend on Dial-a-Ride daily.