Cape Town has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to replace minister Fikile Mbalula with a dynamic transport minister.

Earlier this week Mbalula was elected the ANC's secretary-general, a full-time position. Cape Town's mayoral committee member for urban mobility, Rob Quintas, said the new minister should lead rail reforms. The city wants to run the commuter rail service and has been engaged in protracted talks with Mbalula on the issue.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa now has a great opportunity to appoint a new transport minister to the cabinet. This is a critical vacancy and one that demands a dynamic, forward-thinking and solutions-driven individual who is committed to leading the process of rail reform to restore decades of maladministration under the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa),” said Quintas.

“The efficient movement of people and goods is central to restoring and igniting economic growth. We don’t have any time to waste. The City of Cape Town’s rail feasibility study aimed at guiding the administration on the risks, financial implications and time frames involved for taking over the management of passenger rail from Prasa is well under way. We are determined to finalise this study in the shortest possible time, but unfortunately we have not seen the same sense of urgency from our partner in the national government.”

Quintas said calls for Mbalula “to convene a working group to run concurrently with the feasibility study have fallen on deaf ears. This is extremely disappointing as we need to work closely with the national government to see this process to fruition.”

Quintas said the white paper on national rail policy approved in May “states clearly that passenger rail needs to be devolved to capable local governments”.

“Rail reform as envisaged by the white paper should be a top priority for the new transport minister. The complex process of enabling competition in the rail sector will require a dedicated, focused, and urgent effort,” said Quintas.

“It is possible but requires bold political leadership. I urge the president to choose wisely. We need a reliable and safe passenger rail system that can get people to work on time.”

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