as south africa celebrates october transport month, gautrain recommits to being the mobility of choice for gauteng

As Gauteng Province wraps-ups its October Transport Month activities, Gautrain Recommits to Being the Mobility of Choice in the Province.

The success of Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) is well captured in the attainment of its 11th consecutive clean audit outcome from the Auditor-General for the 2022/2023 financial year, and for the first time in its history, GMA achieved 100% of its annual performance plan targets (an improvement from the previous years 96%).

The GMA Chief Executive Officer Designate, Tshepo Kgobe said Gautrain has been in operation for 13 years and continues to demonstrate Governments commitment to the provision of a safe, reliable and efficient public transport for the people of Gauteng. The Service has maintained high levels of operational efficiency. The train service operations achieved an average availability of 99.66% and punctuality of 98.11% over the last year.

This was backed by excellent personal and property safety and security within the System keeping incidents below a 1% level. Safety and security targets for Gautrain passengers are met through the advanced security enhancement plans.

The GMA will continue to use its expertise and experience in supporting provincial government on the improvement of public transport in our Province, Kgobe concluded.

The GMA is mandated to ensure that the Gautrain System operates in a sustainable manner with a clear commitment to governance and the GPGs primary economic objectives.

The socio-economic impact of mega-projects within the transport sector, such as the Gautrain rail network, make the case for maintaining and expanding South Africas transport infrastructure. A 2019 study by consulting engineering and business entity, Hatch, found that the Gautrain project contributed R19.4 billion to the Gauteng GDP during construction and R20.4 billion during operations, and further created 35 000 direct construction jobs and 10 900 direct operational jobs.

The positive multiplier effects of investing in transport infrastructure also includes stimulating commercial and residential property development around transport hubs, which has fostered integration partnerships with various stakeholders. Integration is also key to ensuring a seamless journey when using public transport, and the GMA has partnered with the Alexandra Taxi Association (ATA) and the Alexandra, Randburg, Midrand and Sandton Taxi Association (ARMSTA) to operate the Midibus Feeder and Distribution Service (MFDS) at the Gautrain Marlboro station. The MFDS is an extension to the Gautrain service and offers accessibility to an efficient, safe, and reliable public transport service in areas where other modes of transport services are not suitable.

The arrival of Gautrain stations in communities has influenced local development and commercialisation decisions, with an estimated R46 billion having been added to the total GDP of the provincial economy due to property development induced by the Gautrain, further contributing to another 245 000 jobs.