KRAAIFONTEIN
E-pos: tyger@dieburger.com
B u r g e r Woensdag 11 April 2012
Tel: 021 910 6500
Faks: 021 910 6501
) Carlisle sides with commuters
Train fares tackled DESIREÉ RORKE
Amidst the outcry and confusion about recent Metrorail fare increases, Robin Carlisle, minister of transport and public works in the Western Cape took a train from Kraaifontein to Cape Town last week to speak directly to struggling commuters. This followed after the eleventh hour anouncement by Cosatu and Metrorail, that they have struck “a deal” to reduce the initial proposed increase of 27 percent, to 13 percent as of 1 April. On Thursday 22 March, after the increase announcement, Carlisle requested Metrorail to adjust the 27 percent increase to a single-digit figure. “Although there had been no increases in fares from 2003 to 2010, the 27 percent increase for 2012, added to 2011’s 33 percent increase, means that there will be an effective 60 percent rise in fares over just two years,” he said after the announcement. It was at this time that Cosatu and the Chamber of Commerce approached Metrorail to negotiate a smaller increase. Carlisle, however, remains unhappy with the effective increase and now claims that in reality it is much more than the intended 13 percent, which is why he opted to go and speak to the commuters last week. He also wanted to know from Metrorail, Cosatu and the Chamber of Commerce, why they were negotiating the future of Cape Town’s commuters behind closed doors, without a single elected representative of the people, or anyone from the City of Cape Town or provincial government being present. . To page 3.
Transport and public works minister of the Western Cape, Robin Carlisle, speaks to commuters about their train fares, on a trip between Kraaifontein and Cape Town last week.