Media Release: WC MEC of Transport and Public Works commends the Garden Route for COVID-19 compliance

For immediate release
11 August 2020

This past long weekend, the Western Cape (WC) MEC for Transport and Public Works, Bonginkosi Madikizela, visited the Garden Route district to inspect the compliance of the Transport industry to the COVID-19 regulations.

The purpose of the visit was also for the MEC to meet with transport stakeholders and to open a regional government vehicle pool facility in George. Executive Mayor of Garden Route District Municipality, Alderman Memory Booysen accompanied MEC Madikizela during his visit.

The inspections commenced on Friday, 7 August 2020 in Bitou at the taxi rank with the monitoring of taxis during peak hour.  Inspections were put on halt when MEC and Executive Mayor were alerted about a crime scene in George the same evening where a Provincial Traffic Officer was injured in a shooting incident.  After visiting the scene, both delegates visited the Traffic Officer’s family to assure them that the perpetrator would face the full might of the law.

The next day, inspections continued in Knysna where the delegation took part in a road block to monitor whether vehicles complied with the maximum occupancy of 70% per vehicle.  The Knysna taxi rank also received a visit where after the MEC engaged in discussions with representatives and the leadership of the local Taxi Association.

The visit to George was conducted in the same format as the visits of Bitou and Knysna, however the GO George bus services was prioritised given the vast number of passengers making use of the service.  During his engagements, MEC Madikizela specifically focused on the issues experienced by the bus services and whether those issues were resolved.  MEC Madikizela, on Monday, 10 August, concluded his George visit when he officially opened the Regional Vehicle Pool facility in the presence of Mayor Booysen and the George Executive Mayor, Cllr Leon van Wyk, as well as councilors, officials and stakeholders of the Transport industry.

MEC Madizikela ended his programme in Mossel Bay the next day when he monitored the taxi rank as well as the Louise-Fourie Corridor in the area.  He commended the district for adhering to the regulations and although the curb in terms of new COVID-19 infections in the Western Cape flattened, he said: “We are now targeting certain areas which are concerning and this is one of those areas”. He added:  “With the behavior and adherence to the regulations in the Garden Route district, it is very pleasing”.

Mayor Booysen praised the Garden Routers for adhering to the protocols and regulations and said:  “We are highly impressed in terms of how the transport industry and people abide to the regulations. Taxis are being decontaminated before and after trips, hand sanitizers are applied and a ‘no-mask-no-entry’ principle applies. It was indeed an impressive visit”.

Feature Photo: During the visit to the family of the Traffic Officer who was shot and injured in George, were (fltr) Alderman Memory Booysen, Executive Mayor of GRDM; Deputy Mayor of George, Cllr Charlotte Clarke and Western Cape MEC for Transport and Public Works, Minister Bonginkosi Madikizela, with family members of the officer.

ENDS