COSATU+to+strike+against+Gautrain



=Cosatu to strike against Gautrain=

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has given notice of its intention to strike over the proposed Gautrain Rapid Rail Link. The notice to strike is given in terms of Section 77 of the Labour Relations Act, which provides for protected strikes over socio-economic issues. Before the strike proceeds, our labour law implores parties to reach agreement, and so we shall be undertaking to reach agreement on these issues.

Five reasons have propelled COSATU to table notice to strike on these issues.

First, Gautrain fails to tackle the most significant transport problems in Gauteng. The design of cities during apartheid was premised on black townships being temporary, and these were located far from city centres. Thus ‘dormitory townships’ are scattered across the province, with poor people undertaking daily trips to and from Johannesburg, spending up to 3 hours on the road.

The most important transport system we need is thus a mass transit system from townships into cities, as part of an integrated development plan, which would see townships themselves becoming economic hubs over the next 15 years.

However, no plans have been suggested for dismantling this legacy of the apartheid city, through cheap and reliable public transport from townships into cities. Gautrain instead prioritises reducing highway congestion, when greater efficiencies are possible through introducing a mass transit system.

Local governments have an equally worrying record. Metrobus, the Johannesburg, bus service is an example. It has a laudable vision, to be the dominant and most efficient provider of safe, reliable and economic public transport in greater Johannesburg.

It invested in new, smart buses that offer a good, reliable and fairly cheap service. But the service is still restricted to areas served by the previously white Johannesburg City Council that was disbanded in 1995. The only visible extension has been to the shopping malls. The inability to extend the municipal bus service is even more surprising given the City of Johannesburg has attempted to improve and extend services in other areas, with some success.

Second, the foundation of the Gautrain is based on changing the behaviour of motorists, rather than users of public transport or taxis. Motorists would make the switch from car to rail, and prices are to be set accordingly.

But the real test for working people is whether taking the Gautrain will be cheaper than taking a taxi. It is unlikely that the pricing of the Gautrain will accommodate lower-income commuters from Johannesburg to Pretoria, or to the airport.

At least one idea is good - that of having a dedicated bus service to provide a feeder system for the railway. But it is disappointing that the feeder system does not extend very far off the proposed route.

This means that travelling from Kagiso, Soweto, Vosloorus, Soshanguve or many other townships means a taxi ride, maybe another train ride, and then on to the Gautrain. Three trips, three fares - which means that even if you want to get to Pretoria from Johannesburg you will probably not be able to afford it. The yuppie living in Rosebank or Melville however will definitely be able to access the service, with one bus ride on Metrobus, and off to Pretoria.

Third, Gautrain diverts limited public finances away from projects aimed at eradicating poverty. Government has budgeted R7.1 billion over the next three years for the Gautrain. However, poor communities and working people are unlikely to reap the transportation benefits offered by the Gautrain, both because few people will be able to afford to use it and because its route fails to take cognisance of apartheid spatial planning.

In comparison, according to government’s Budget Review, public transport for all municipalities will receive R 3, 5 billion over the medium term. The Gautrain – a single project – thus has about twice the combined budget of all other municipal infrastructure projects aimed at improving public transport. Surely, there is something amiss in the plans of government when a single project with little impact on the poor gets the lion’s shares of the budget, in comparison to all municipalities.

Fourth, and perhaps most worryingly, the bureaucrats have shifted the goal posts on issues of cost, and on preparedness for the World Cup. Jack van der Merwe argued in November 2005 that the Gauteng Provincial Government had a "moral and legal obligation" to complete the Gautrain within 54 months as it forms part of the 2010 World Cup Bid conditions.

Later on, during the process of finalising the bidder, there was a deliberate attempt to delink the Gautrain from the World Cup, with the successful bidder indicating that it had no contract stipulations to finish the project on time.

More telling, is the significant escalation in costs. The initial costs were estimated at R 7 billion, but today they are estimated at R 20 billion. In explaining the increase, the project leader Jack van der Merwe argued that all costs were not presented as part of the initial costs. The question then arises: on what cost estimates did elected representatives make their decisions?

Fifth, we must debate the alternatives. Romano Del Mistro of the University of Cape Town has argued for a bus system, and indicated that the travel time in comparison to the Gautrain is approximately the same. The important feature of this is that a bus system will cost significantly less than the Gautrain. Moreover, we are pleasantly surprised that key sections of the business community have indicated that the Gautrain projects needs more answers, and a better search for alternatives.

COSATU thus has the responsibility to search for answers to questions, and to argue for public spending to benefit the poor. At the centre of our dispute lie our attempts to build a South Africa in which the poor are able to raise their standards of living.

For further information please phone Siphiwe Mgcina, COSATU Gauteng provincial Secretary, on 011 873 2610

981 words

The above statement appeared in The Star, Johannesburg, March 30, 2006.


 * http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=225&fArticleId=3181467