Putting North West on the road to growth

SANRAL and Rustenburg Rapid Transport are investing in infrastructure.

Two major transport projects in the North West will create conditions for better mobility to and from the province and within its principal city. The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) opened the R512 Pampoennek road in September 2020 and the elements of the Rustenburg Rapid Transport scheme are coming together to promise enhanced movement around the province’s most populated urban centre.

The R512 connects the towns of Brits in the North West and Randburg in Gauteng via Hartbeespoort, providing a good connection to the N4 highway. The cost of the road project through Pampoennek was R377-million and the road was opened by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula.

“This road gives expression to the notion that transport is the heartbeat of the South African economy, playing an integral part in the country’s economic growth. Roads are an essential part of South Africa’s transport system and are important infrastructure to enable economic activity and access to social amenities,” said Mbalula at the ceremony.

Skhumbuzo Macozoma, CEO of SANRAL (left), and Fikile Mbalula, the Minister of Transport, celebrate the opening of the Pampoennek Road in the North West.

SANRAL is currently working on other roads in the North West, including the N14 and N12 highways. SANRAL’s Horizon 2030 strategy aims to ensure that local communities benefit when roads are built in their areas. Construction of the Pampoennek route generated 209 permanent jobs for locals with R27.4-million spent by August 2020. About 180 people were offered training and 12 subcontractors were employed on the project.

Moving Rustenburg Rustenburg is one of the fastest-growing cities in South Africa. With a population of more than 500 000, city planners have turned their attention to improving the quality of life for commuters through an integrated and intelligent public transport system.

Rustenburg Rapid Transport (RRT) aims to manage and allocate road space more efficiently, to reduce the number of vehicles on the road and ultimately to provide a better user experience for people using public transport and for people working and walking in the inner city.

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is one of the elements of the RRT system. There are two main BRT corridors where passenger volumes are high. The corridors will have dedicated bus lanes with

walkways and stations which allow for easy access.

The RRT system is designed to cater for up to 75 000 commuters daily when operating at full capacity. Construction of the RRT project’s road network has begun and various other projects have been undertaken related to the project, including traffic lane upgrades and the installation of dedicated traffic lights and signals. Cycle lanes and walkways for cyclists and pedestrians have been constructed to complement the RRT system.

In June 2020, the Rustenburg Local Municipality welcomed the first Yarona Bus at a session held at the Rustenburg Civic Centre. The RRT project will begin with a testing and training phase and the first bus will be used by the Rustenburg Rapid Transport team to train drivers, and test various infrastructure components including stations and priority traffic lights in a build-up to the main launch.

The Rustenburg Rapid Transport programme forms part of the road-based component of the national Bus Rapid Transport Strategy, overseen by the National Department of Transport. Its goal is to ensure swift movement of large numbers of people between parts of a city in a quick and safer way.

The local taxi industry has been working closely on the programme and affected taxi operators will create and run a bus-operating company (BOC). Several milestones have already been reached in this sphere, namely the creation of Taxi Negotiating Forum and the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement.

There are further plans for public transport to become more integrated in the future. This might involve co-branding and a single fare system. On the topic of regulation, Executive Mayor Mpho

Khunou says that a “fully-fledged transport entity” is being discussed for the future. “As things stand, the only people who will participate in this new system are going to be those who are affected,” says Khunou.

“The idea moving forward is to involve other parts of the industry, then you can then regulate all forms of transport in the city. That is something we are looking in to that will happen a bit further into the future.” ■

Rustenburg Rapid Transport explained

The Yarona Bus service will improve connectivity and access.

The Rustenburg Local Municipality is getting closer to its vision of turning Rustenburg into a “world-class city”. With the Rustenburg Rapid Transport project, the city has invested heavily in public transport infrastructure, resulting in job creation and small business development. The project will improve efficiency in public transport by introducing the Yarona Bus, an Integrated Public Transport System that will soon ferry commuters from their places of work or homes to their destinations.

The launch of Yarona Bus service will commence with a mixed fleet of 10 standard buses and up to 200 minibus taxis with the entire mixed fleet managed by the bus operating company (BOC) formed by the affected minibus taxi and bus operators. RRT is engaging these affected minibus taxis and bus operators thoroughly and they are expected to enter into various agreements with the municipality to implement an integrated public transport system in the City of Rustenburg. Over the next three years, the services are expected to be increased to cover more areas and commuters, with Contact details

Theron Rapoo Tel: +27 14 590 3721 Email: trapoo@rustenburg.gov.za more buses to be purchased to replace and in some areas, to integrate with the minibus taxis on some of the routes.

Rustenburg aims to be one of the cities to integrate the minibus taxi system with buses, which will operate under the company management. Affected drivers from the minibus taxi industry will also be afforded an opportunity to be trained to drive buses should they qualify and be employed by the company. Other affected employees of the minibus taxi industry will be trained for other employment opportunities within the company, as will all residents of the area, who will be given the opportunity to apply for any career.

The Rustenburg Local Municipality has been working closely with the local and affected taxi industry, who are supportive and have become a part of the transformative agenda of the RRT project. Some of the key milestones achieved with the local taxi industry include the establishment of the Taxi Negotiating Forum, the conclusion of a Memorandum of Agreement, and the establishment of the BOC which affected taxi operators will transition into.

The municipality plans to roll out 10 buses for Phase 1A of the system before the end of 2020 with a further 30 buses planned in the following 24 months. In total, 45 buses and 150 taxis will form the first phase of the system. The municipality is further undertaking construction of 18 stations on two trunk roads and in the central business district (CBD).

Once complete, the Yarona Bus service is envisaged to do up to 100 000 passenger trips daily on two corridors, with 18 stations, 450 bus stops, one depot and one operations control centre to manage the services. ■

A world-class public transport network

Frequently asked questions answered.

What is the IRPTN? Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network refers to the integration of the various modes of transport which seeks to provide a safer, reliable, accessible, affordable, transport system that gives priority to public over private transport. The plan is to provide integration of public transport with the emphasis being on the delivery of a Rapid Transit (RT) system. This includes the integration of the system with other services, including local and long-distance bus services, feeder vehicles, taxis, pedestrian passageways, bicycles and private cars.

What is RRT? Rustenburg Rapid Transit is the municipality’s IRPTN project management office responsible for planning, managing and implementing services for a high-quality public transport system that runs on an exclusive dedicated lane with coordinated and prioritised signalling. The people of Rustenburg, the municipality and the RRT department have named the bus service Yarona™ Bus.

Why is the Yarona™ Bus being introduced in Rustenburg? To transform existing public transport conditions by providing a high-quality, cost-effective, car-competitive public transport system that will serve the mobility needs of all segments of the municipality’s population, even current owners of private vehicles and in doing so, ease congestion, reduce the impact on the environment and support the development of a sustainable city; to achieve this objective by placing 85% of the municipality’s population within 500m of an IRPTN road, or feeder corridor; to improve and integrate the municipality’s urban transport system and attract more investment and tourism and ultimately stimulate the economy and job creation.

Which areas will be covered? • Phase 1A: North-western areas of the CBD including Tlhabane, Tlhabane West, Rustenburg

North and Geelhout Park. • Phase 1B: Meriting, Freedom Park, Sunrise Park,

Ramochana and Boitekong Extensions 4 and 7. • Phase 1C: Protea Park, Cashan and part of

Rustenburg CBD. • Phase 2: Kanana. This will have six feeder routes.

What kind of jobs will be created? General labourers, drivers and operators, artisans and technical skilled persons, supervisors, managers, cleaners, security, cashiers, retailers, mechanics, etc.

Will people living with disabilities be able to commute on the Yarona™ system? The Yarona™ system is designed to accommodate people with special needs. Buses will be designed to ensure easy boarding and descending for people with special needs. ■

Mpho Khunou, Executive Mayor, Rustenburg Local Municipality

Biography Executive Mayor Mpho Khunou grew up in Rustenburg where his father was a mineworker and attended school in Mahikeng. Active in ANC Youth League politics from the early 1990s, Mayor Khunou served as a Rustenburg city councillor between 1995 and 2000, during which time he was Chief Whip. After a period as an entrepreneur, he worked in various capacities within the municipality’s executive management. Elected to his current position in 2011, he was re-elected in 2016.

An efficient transport system will help Rustenburg achieve its vision

Rustenburg’s Executive Mayor Mpho Khunou explains how the Rustenburg Rapid Transport system will ease congestion, improve commuters’ experiences and revitalise the city’s central business district.

How does the Rustenburg Rapid Transport scheme fit into the city’s broader planning? We are very pleased to have been chosen to participate in this national programme of 13 municipalities countrywide. It is a programme initiated by the National Department of Transport to tackle transport challenges in major cities. The plan fits in well with our long-term vision of becoming a world-class city. In order achieve this, the City must have an efficient transport system which is universally accessible, reliable and provides a linkage with other modes of transport. With this new transport network, we aim to facilitate a more efficient economy.

How will the dedicated bus lanes help to improve the commuter experience? Feeder routes and walkways will link commuters with major trunk roads which have dedicated bus lanes to ensure a faster service and promote easier access to various parts of the City, which is currently a major challenge to residents. Furthermore, the trunk routes have stations which have incorporated green building principles such as natural light. Phase 1 to 4 of the integrated public transport network is envisaged to place up to 60% of the City’s residents within 500 metres of a service.

Will conditions for pedestrians and cyclists improve? The City constructed infrastructure for non-motorised transport (NMT) which is already being used in some parts of the city. On the R510 and R104 roads there is dedicated infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians which a lot of people are using to cycle into the city, as well as on the feeder routes. We will focus on signage and safety once the system comes into operation and this will ensure that transport service will be attractive to private motor users.

What are the key achievements you want the RRT to reach? The RRT is designed to reduce congestion by having fewer taxis on

the road. The infrastructure built in the Central Business District (CBD) has already done a lot in improving access and the quality of mixed traffic lanes. The entire functionality of the CBD will be improved, and we envisage the CBD to be more liveable and friendlier for the business community and residents. The project fits in with the objective of the municipality to rejuvenate the CBD and will assist to create spatial integration and thus bring more opportunities.

What is the budget of the RRT? The project is funded through a grant from the National Department of Transport. Since inception of the project in 2012, about R3.1-billion has been spent. There is about R200-million in the current budget to complete the stations, increase the bus fleet, start with the bus depot and deal with the issues concerning transition of the current informal taxi industry. The Municipality will be implementing the system in phases – the first phase will come into operation in January 2021. We estimate that the system will be fully operational in about five years. When it is fully operational, we expect to be able to transport about 60% of commuters. In October busses will be delivered, testing will take place and the training of drivers will start. Final touches for an interim depot will be done and the stages that follow will depend on allocations from national government. How many jobs has the RRT created? The project has created about 1 200 jobs and about 105 SMMEs have been involved. As we implement more infrastructure projects including the main depot, feeder roads and the completion of stations, there will be more jobs created and more opportunities for local SMMEs. Our projection is that there will be opportunities for 50 to 60 more SMMEs to be involved and overall, a total of 2 300 jobs will be created by RRT.

How important is the integration of public transport? You can’t talk about an economic revival of an economy that functions optimally without an efficient public transport system. You have to be able to move people in and out of the CBD in an efficient manner. What is exciting about this project is that it will also go a long way towards promoting spatial transformation so that the CBD becomes lot more vibrant and liveable.

How will Yarona’s operations be managed? In terms of the national Public Transport Act, this is an empowerment scheme for existing public transporter operators. We have to conclude an agreement with existing public transport operators who have formed an entity called the Taxi Negotiating Forum. They are envisaged to run the system through a bus operating company (BOC) for a maximum of 12 years. We have been in discussion since 2011. We are at a critical stage now in terms of our interaction with them and are discussing the participation agreement and how we subsidise them. Those involved are the existing public transport operators who are trading along the routes such as Swartruggens, the R510 and all of the feeder roads. In other words, only those affected by the new system, or those who will be incorporated. ■

seemoneydifferently

SOLUTIONSFORSMALLBUSINESS AIMEDATCREATINGJOBSAND GROWINGTHEECONOMY

Nedbank’sProvincialManagerofRetailRelationshipBankingfor NorthWestProvince,PieterNaudé,saysthatsmallbusinessesare themainstayoftheeconomyandNedbankprovidessmall-business ownerswithsupportthatgoesbeyondbanking.

C‘ ovid-19hasdealtentrepreneursa majorblowand,naturally,theyare overwhelmedandanxiousaboutthe futureoftheirbusinesses.Nedbankisproud tobeinvolvedinvariouswaystohelp mitigatetheeconomicimpactofthecrisis onthisvitalsector.Forexample,

BackaBusinessisaninnovativeandrelevant wayinwhichpeoplecanshowtheirsupport forsmallbusinessestoensuretheirsurvival.

Loyalcustomers,familyandfriends,and societyatlargecanjointhemovementto paynowandredeemarewardfromthe businessowneroncetradingresumes.’

‘BeyondthisCovid-19relief,ourexpertsare availabletoprovideallthesupportyou need.Nedbankofferssimple,affordable bankingsolutionsandvalue-addedservices togetandkeepyourbusinessgoing,’says

Naudé.

Initiativessuchasthefree-to-join networkingportal, SimplyBiz.co.za,The

EssentialGuideforSmall-businessOwners, businessregistrationservicesandfree

small-businessseminars areallgearedto supportsmallandmedium-sized enterprises.

Nedbankofferssimple, affordablebankingsolutions andvalue-addedservices togetandkeepyour businessgoing…’ ‘

NaudéaddsthatNedbank’sProfessional Bankingsolutionisbuiltonfivepillars.‘We provideourprofessionalclientswithbanking attheirfingertips,benefitsthatmatter, expertsavingsandinvestmentadviceanda uniquehouseholdbankingapproach,which allowsthemandtheirfamiliestofinance theirdreamsandgrowth.’

‘Withdedicatedrelationshipbankers, tailoredfinancingoptionsand24/7service, thebankingexperienceweofferis seamless,enablesourclients’financial aspirationsandisflexibletogrowasyour needsgrow,’saysNaudé.

Ifyouwantto tapintooursmall-business expertise toreachyourbusinessgoals, pleaseemail PieterNaudé at PieterN@Nedbank.co.za orvisit www.nedbank.co.za.

seemoneydifferently

NEDBANKBUSINESSBANKING AIMSTOSUPPORTALLBUSINESS SECTORSINTHENORTHWEST

JohannSwanepoel,ProvincialManagerforBusinessBankinginthe North-WestProvince,saysNedbankBusinessBanking’sbusiness managersarespecialistsinthecommercial,agriculture,professional, wholesaleandretailindustriesandservices,aswellasthepublicsector.

A‘ tNedbankBusinessBankingwe believethatyouneedaflexible, resilientfinancialpartnerwhonot onlyunderstandsyourcircumstancesand aspirations,butalsoprovidesyouwith relevantsolutionsandabankingexperience thatishassle-free,allowingyouto concentrateonwhat’smostimportanttoyou employmentandinvestment.‘Byusingour –runningyourbusiness,’saysSwanepoel. financialexpertisetodogood,wepartner Our bigger-picturebanking approach withouragriculturalclientstocontributeto agrowing,competitive,transformedandenablesusnotonlytoprovideyouwiththe climate-resilientagriculturalsector.’bankingsolutionsyouneed,butalsotogive youaholisticviewofhowourproductsare TothisendNedbankhasdeveloped connectedtocreateaframeworkthat innovativefundingsolutionsdesignedto yieldsmaximumimpactacrosseveryfacet supportfarmerswithsustainablefarming ofyourbusinessandbeyond.Weknowthat interventions,rangingfromwaterefficiency successinbusinessisaboutpartnerships, mechanismsandcutting-edgeirrigationto andthatiswhyweputthebuildingofdeep, renewable-energyfinancing.Swanepoel lasting,value-addingrelationshipsatthe saysthatNedbank’sleadershippositionin centreofeverythingwedo.Thismeansyour renewable-energyfinanceishelpingmany goalsareourgoals,yourvisionisourvision, farmersandagribusinessestobenefitfrom andyoursuccessisoursuccess–whileyou cleaner,morereliableandaffordablepower relyonouradditionalsupportthatismost generationthanthenationalgridcanprovide. neededintimesofchangeanduncertainty. Intheagriculturalsectorparticularly, Nedbankunderstandsthatifthevarious challengesitfacesarenotaddressed,itwill threateneconomicgrowth,foodsecurity, …Nedbankhasdevelopedinnovative fundingsolutionsdesignedtosupport farmerswithsustainablefarming interventions…’ ‘

Ifyouareinterestedintakingyour businesstothenextlevel,pleaseemail JohannSwanepoel at JohannEu@nedbank.co.za orvisit www.nedbank.co.za/business.

seemoneydifferently

MONEYEXPERTSBRING 21STCENTURYBANKING TOALLCOMMUNITIES

AttheheartofNedbank’sbusiness strategyisitsbeliefthatits sustainabilitydependsonitsabilityto integrateintothecommunitiesinwhichit operates..

DanielMakinita,RegionalManagerforRetail BusinessBankingintheNorth-West Provinceexplains:‘Nedbankhascontinued todeliveronitsbrandpromise,whichisto useourfinancialexpertisetodogoodfor individuals,families,businessesand communitiesinwhichweoperate.Our client-centredstrategyhasenabledusto reachouttoourclientsintimeofneed duringtheCovid-19nationallockdown.’

TheNedbankContactCentreandadvanced digitalinnovation,includingtheawardwinning NedbankMoneyapp,enabledthe banktocontinueservingclientsinthe comfortoftheirhomes.Itbrought conveniencetoclientsandhelpedthemto complywithlockdownregulations.

Makinitasaysthatforsmall-andmediumbusinessclients,Nedbankcontinuesto deliverend-to-endsolutionsthrougha dedicatedbusinessmanager.‘Ourbusiness managersaresupportedbyateamof expertsacrossthebanktodeliverseamless bankingsolutions.Ourbigger-picture businessapproachensuresthatweareable totakeaholisticviewofthebusinessby understandingthevision,cashflowcycle, andtransactionalandcapitalexpenditure needsofthebusiness.Thisway,webecome trustedadvisorstothebusinessownerswho strivestogrowtheirbusiness.’

Ourclient-centred strategyhasenabledus toreachouttoourclients intimeofneedduring ‘ theCovid-19national lockdown.’

Ifyouareinterestedintakingyourbusiness toitsnextlevelorneedinformationabout Nedbank’sspecialisedserviceoffering, pleaseemail DanielMakinita at DanielMak@Nedbank.co.za orvisit www.nedbank.co.za.

seemoneydifferently

NEDBANKBUSINESS BANKINGHELPSPUBLIC SECTORSEEMONEY DIFFERENTLY

N‘ edbankiscommittedtodelivering easyandinnovativebanking solutionstogovernment, municipalitiesandstate-ownedenterprises throughoutSouthAfrica.

MoneiSeleho,Nedbank'sProvincial

ManagerforthePublicSectorintheNorth

WestProvince,saysthatgiventhestrategic importanceofthepublicsectortothe economyandthecountryatlarge,Nedbank hasa dedicatedpublicsectorteam to ourmarket-leadingNedbankMoneyappprovidefinancialsolutionsthatenablethe andotherdigitalsolutions.Wealsohelpbroadermandateofservicedelivery.‘We themsavemoneythroughourpreferentialunderstandthatthevariousspheresof bankingsolutionsandouraward-winninggovernmentandtheiragenciesfaceunique FinancialFitnessandConsumerEducation challenges,andarereadyandabletodraw Programme.Theprogrammehelpsthemonthebank’sinnovative,seamlessand managetheirmoneybetterbyprovidinghassle-freeproductstohelpbuildagreater budgetingandmoneymanagementnation.’ training,equippingtheirstaffmembersto

Butthebank'srolegoesbeyondproviding dealwitheverydaymoneymanagement bankingsolutionstothesevitalentities.As challengesbetter,'saysSeleho. moneyexpertswhodogood,Nedbank strivestoempowerthepeoplebehindthe publicsectorbysavingthemtime,money andhelpingthemtomanagetheirmoney better. 'Wehelpthemsavetimebyprovidingonsite helpfromourdedicatedteamsandthrough Nedbankstrivesto empowerthepeoplebehind thepublicsectorbysaving themtime,moneyand ‘ helpingthemtomanage theirmoneybetter.’

To findoutmoreabouthowNedbankcan partnerwithyourorganisation togrowa greaterSouthAfrica,pleaseemail MoneiSeleho at MoneiS@Nedbank.co.za or visit www.nedbank.co.za/business.