Press Release on the Founding of the ETA

In November 2002 the eThekwini Council passed a resolution agreeing to the establishment of a Transport Authority subject to the finalization of a few outstanding issues.

One of the most important outstanding issues was the finalization of a Founding Agreement. In terms of the National Land Transport Transition Act (Act 22 of 2000), a Founding Agreement has to be drawn up and signed by all three spheres of government - Local, Provincial and National. The Founding Agreement covers all aspects relating to the establishment and structure of its governing body, the procedure for the Transport Authorities governance and operation and describes the boundaries, composition, functions, and funding of a Transport Authority.

After a lengthy period of negotiation involving all three spheres of government, the last signatory to the Founding Agreement, namely the National Minister of Transport, signed it on 29 January 2004, thus giving formal birth to the first Transport Authority in South Africa.

The eThekwini Transport Authority (ETA) is led by a Governing Body consisting of three Councillors headed by the Mayor, Councillor Mlaba and this body has been functioning in a semi-official capacity for several months now pending the signing of the Founding Agreement. Under the Governing Body is a Transport Executive consisting of officials led by a recently appointed Head, Mr. Victor Baloyi.

One of the main reasons for the establishment of a Transport Authority is to eliminate the current split of responsibilities for transport matters amongst the three spheres of Government to enable the transport responsibilities to be assigned to one body at local level. At the end of the day the objective is to improve the level of service to all customers in the eThekwini Municipal area by enabling local decisions to be taken for the local area.

An official signing ceremony of the Founding Agreement by the Acting National Minister of Transport, Minister Jeff Radebe, the KwaZulu Natal MEC of Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele and the eThekwini Mayor, Councillor Obed Mlaba, representing the three spheres of government will take place on Friday, 5 March, 2004 at 10h00 in the Nelson Mandela Room, Durban City Hall.

Victor Baloyi, Head: eThekwini Transport Authority, (031) 300 2344